Kingdom Hearts: Worlds Apart
by Saikia
Summary: Sora struggles to make his way back to Kairi and to save Riku, but he must pass through unfamiliar worlds and meet familiar faces to return home ...Completed...
1. Prolouge

(Disclaimer: This will be the third series I've written. The other two series, "Zell and Selphie" and "Growing Pains" at least had some thinking on it before hand, but in this series, it may take a bit longer for me to update. Another thing is, if I happen to say something that happens in the KH2 game, then I'm psychic or something because I'm basing this story on my own writing after Kairi and Sora are separated, so I hope it comes out well.)  
  
Chapter 1-Suppressing the Tears  
  
It had been a day after Kairi and Sora had separated, and Kairi wasn't taking it so well. She was almost always cheery, but now, she didn't think she could ever gain back that happiness. She was beginning to wonder if her happiness always came from Sora.  
  
The morning sun rose, but it was still dim out, and everyone on the island slept. The sun was only beginning to peek over the calm waters of the sea. Her footsteps were drowned by the flowing waterfall by the caves, so no one heard her movements.  
  
She entered the cave, the cave that she and Sora explored so many times, and she would often explore it with Riku, but he, too, had gone missing. How could she go without those two bickering at each other? She would walk into a different area and expect them to be nagging about something. Sora and Riku had always been great friends, but close rivals. Things just weren't the same.  
  
She examined the writings on the walls. The walls were made of chalk stone, and Riku, Kairi, and Sora had often engraved many doodles and writings on these walls, but over the years, the writing became illegible. The cave was damp, so the pictures were beginning to dissolve away.  
  
One image remained noticeable, and looked as though it had been worked on recently.  
  
Kairi touched it, and some of the chalky substance came off on her fingers. Originally, it had just been a badly drawn doodle of Kairi and Sora, but now, maybe recently, a hand extending from Sora held a papu fruit to Kairi's face. Had Sora done this? A papu fruit was a sign of love, a rumor that if two people share the fruit, they become intertwined, and fall in love.  
  
Kairi smiled, imagining seeing Sora drawing the star fruit, and having a big, mischievous grin on his face. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she took a piece of chalk into her hand, and drew a hand extending the fruit to Sora. She put the chalk down, and looked at her artwork. She kept seeing Sora's smile pressed into her mind. Her smile had faded, and she had to keep wiping away the tears, but she was confident that he would return soon.  
  
She left the cave and returned to her home as the sun began to rise into the sky, and climbed into her bed, crying herself to sleep. 


	2. Planning Ahead

Planning Ahead  
  
"Whew, we need to take another stop, Sora. Please?"  
  
"Come on, Donald," Sora said, "we need to keep going. The faster we get going, the faster we can all get home."  
  
"Alright, thanks." Donald sat on the ground in the soft grass, and laid back, looking up at the sky. He looked a few feet behind him, where Goofy had already fallen over from fatigue and was probably dozing. Sora turned back to them.  
  
"Come on, guys!" He walked back to them, and looked down at the ground. "I know I dragged you into this mess, but.."  
  
Goofy looked up, and wearily stood. "Aww, this isn't yor fault, Sora. The King sent us earlier to find you, so we had no choice but to be dragged into this."  
  
"And besides," Donald added, "King Mickey got locked behind Kingdom Hearts, so we have to go get him out."  
  
"And Riku, too. You left Kairi behind so you can go find Riku, and we followed you to go find the King."  
  
Sora sighed, and fell straight back onto the grass, his eyes closed. "Don't tell me that I left Kairi behind, because I didn't.."  
  
"Well, you kinda did leave her on the island back there, Sora," Goofy gaffawed.  
  
"That's not what he meant, Goofy," Donald frowned.  
  
Goofy bit his lip, then thought for a second. "Oh, real sorry, Sora. I didn't mean.."  
  
"It's okay, Goofy," Sora said slowly, "I know you didn't mean anything by it." Sora sighed, trying to figure something out. "What I'm confused about is how we're going to get out of here. All the worlds have been disconnected because Kingdom Hearts closed, and so the Heartless can't come back into the worlds, right?"  
  
Donald scratched his head. "I guess so."  
  
"So, if the Heartless are gone, then the worlds are disconnected, but the worlds will become connected again if the Heartless enter our world."  
  
"Or any world," Donald assured him. "If you're suggesting that we find a way for the Heartless to enter this world so the worlds will be connected and we return to our own worlds, than forget it," Donald said.  
  
"Say," Goofy started, "if all the worlds are disconnected, than how do we get out of this one?"  
  
Sora frowned. "I'm still trying to figure that out."  
  
"What if Kingdom Hearts is opened again? That's how the worlds became disconnected in the first place because Ansem attempted to open it," Donald told him.  
  
"I'm not sure how it would be opened.." Sora sighed again, depressed that he may never see Kairi again, but then he got an idea, and sat up quickly. "Wait a second! What if Riku and King Mickey find a way past the barrier? The door was sealed with Mickey's keyblade, but can't the keyblade open locks as well?"  
  
Goofy stroked his chin. "Could be a possibility. Do you think it might work, Donald?"  
  
"Well," Donald started, "I can usually find a hole in your theories, Sora, but this time, I can't really say if you're right or not."  
  
Sora grinned, then stood. "So it might just work!"  
  
"Well, we would have to wait for it to happen, so until it does happen, we're still stuck here."  
  
Sora sat back down. "Thanks for ruining my excitment, Donald."  
  
"Not trying to get you down or anything. I'm just saying what's true."  
  
Sora yawned, then looked to the sky. "Getting rather dark out," he said.  
  
Goofy, who had returned to lying on the ground, looked over at Sora. "Do we need to get going?"  
  
Sora shook his head. "Nah, we can get up early tomorrow and set off. We've been on this road for a few hours, and it's bound to lead to something. If we continue tonight, it'll get too dark for us to see anything."  
  
Goofy closed his eyes and chuckled. "That works for me."  
  
"Tomorrow, then," Donald said, and turned over on the grass, using a patch of flowers as a pillow.  
  
Sora couldn't help but laugh when Donald sneezed in his sleep from the flowers. He tried desperatly to get some sleep and ignore Goofy's snoring, but he couldn't help but keep watching the sky. By the time it got dark enough for the millions of stars to pour into the sky, Sora had drifted off into a deep sleep.  
  
Millions of miles away, in the heavens above, over a course of a few hours, the stars in the sky began to blink out, one by one. 


	3. A Familiar Face

A Familiar Face  
  
The sun rose early into the swirled sky of many colors of mixing pinks, magentas, and blues. It was very early, the sun had not yet dawned completely into the sky.  
  
Sora sat up, and looked around him. It was still a little dark out, but he wanted to get going as quickly as possible. He had also been awakened by a noise, but he couldn't identify what it was. He looked to the side, and noticed Goofy and Donald were still pleasantly sleeping. He dared not disturb them, especially Donald.  
  
He stood slowly, and looked again to the familiar, almost limitless road ahead. Nothing had seemed to change. All there had been for, what seemed like miles, was flat, grassy plains.  
  
But he looked down the road again. Something seemed changed, this time. He spotted a figure ahead that might have resembled a tree, had there been any trees around, but it seemed to be moving.  
  
It stopped, then started moving again, then it quickly faded, like it had fallen over. Was there someone else here?  
  
Sora, taking his keyblade in hand, moved toward it slowly at first, then, when at a considerable distance from Donald and Goofy, he started running toward it. It jumped up quickly, but he still couldn't make it out, so drew his keyblade, fearing it might have been a heartless. It stepped back.  
  
"Please, don't hurt me!" It squeeled this. It was a female voice. Who had been out here besides them?  
  
Sora lowered his keyblade. "You're not a heartless?"  
  
"A heartless? Why would I be a heartless?"  
  
He still couldn't see her face. He was then reminded of Aerith and Yuffie. It didn't sound like either of them, but then she still sounded familiar somehow.  
  
All he could see was what appeared to be a shadow of her. Only darkness, no physical features. "Didn't mean to scare you, miss."  
  
"Well, I was probably the one who scared you," she told him. "I didn't think there was anyone out here. I've been traveling forever."  
  
"Why are you here?" Sora asked, noting the sound of despair in her voice.  
  
"I got lost from my home," she told him. "I've been to many worlds before, and ever since this last incident with the heartless, I tried to find my old home, but it, too, was overrun by the heartless, so I dared not enter there. I didn't want them taking my heart." She sighed, sounding disappointed. "I'm afraid I can't get out of this world without the key, though."  
  
Sora gasped. "Are you telling me that the keyblade can unlock doors to different worlds?"  
  
She seemed suprised. "You've heard of the keyblade? I didn't think you had." She nodded. "Yes, the keyblade can seal locks to different worlds, but also has the power of destruction. It can unlock worlds as well, just as it can unlock hearts."  
  
"I didn't know the keyblade was capable of any type of evil," Sora told her.  
  
"Well, people with dark hearts can use it for evil. If you plan to use it for some type of good, then it's in good hands. Only people with a strong heart can obtain the keyblade, so it wouldn't fall into evil hands. It can only be stolen by them."  
  
Sora smirked, and held up the keyblade. "You mean this?"  
  
She gasped. "You're the Keyblade Wielder?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes, and if what you're telling me is true, then I can go to other worlds, connect them all again?"  
  
By this time, the sun was beginning to rise higher into the sky. Sora was starting to get a glimpse of what the girl looked like, but not a concrete one.  
  
"Yes, but there's always a catch. If you unlock a door to a world and connect them all again, the heartless will pour back into the worlds. You have to be willing to seal them."  
  
"I'll be willing to do it, and I'll seal them off again.." Sora had his head hung down. "I've sealed Kingdom Hearts before, and that's where I'm going. I have to get back to my friends."  
  
"You're looking for someone, too?"  
  
"You mean you're looking for someone?"  
  
"I'm looking for my home, but I'm also looking for--"  
  
The sun broke the cloud barrier, and rose highly into the sky. Sora now saw what she looked like; he knew she sounded all too familiar. It was Kairi? How did she get here? She seemed different somehow. Her wardrobe consisted of dark, baggy jeans and a zipper tank-top, and it seemed to oppose Kairi's style. She maintained the same red hair, but her eyes were a glowing emerald.  
  
"Kairi?"  
  
She gasped. "How did you know?"  
  
Sora leaned forward, and grabbed her shoulders. "Kairi, I can't believe it's you! It's really you!"  
  
The girl frowned, and shook off his grip. "You must be mistaken. Kairi is my twin sister."  
  
Sora scratched his head. "You have a sister? Kairi has a sister? Why didn't she ever tell me?"  
  
"You knew her?"  
  
"Yeah, we were from the same island."  
  
"Well," she began, "we got separated from Hollow Bastion at the age of seven. The worlds had been temporarily connected then, and Kingdom Hearts was first opened. Every world then obtained a door where people could wander into different worlds. One day, Kairi found a door she never noticed before. She wandered into it, but never came back." The girl lowered her head. "I thought she didn't come back because she was mad at me. We had had a fued, and didn't settle it.. but when she didn't come back within a few days, I knew something bad had happened."  
  
"So you want to see her, and tell her you're sorry?"  
  
She frowned. "No, she started it, but I still wanna see her. She's my sister. She's been gone for eight years."  
  
"Well, I'm looking for her, too, and once I find my friend, Riku, I'll take you to her."  
  
The girl held out a hand. "Name's Aleisa."  
  
He shook her hand. "And I'm Sora."  
  
Donald and Goofy had ran down the road to them, and caught them when they shook hands. "You're gonna make Kairi jealous when she finds out." He hadn't even noticed the girl's face until a moment later. "Whoa, she IS Kairi!"  
  
"Not quite. Her sister, actually."  
  
"Talk about a co-inc-e-dink!" Goofy laughed.  
  
Sora smiled, then dropped his hand. "I think I figured out a way to get us out of here, guys."  
  
"We've all been walking for a while, and the door to this world should be near," Aleisa said, "so let's keep following this road, and maybe we'll find it."  
  
So they continued the road in an upbeat mood and eager to get to the door. The closer they got, the closer to home they came. 


	4. End of the Road

End of the Road  
  
They continued to travel the road, and Sora almost always expected Donald to complain every twenty minutes. Sora and Aleisa walked side by side, while Donald and Goofy took a slower pace behind them.  
  
Sora couldn't help but notice Aleisa glancing at him. He tried to break the tension.  
  
"So, Aleisa," he started, "Kairi's your sister?"  
  
She nodded shyly.  
  
"Well, um, how come she doesn't remember where she's from?" He stopped briefly to let Donald and Goofy catch up. "Why didn't she ever tell me that she had a sister?"  
  
"A few years ago, Kingdom Hearts was first opened. That happened about eight years ago."  
  
"That's when Kairi came to the island," Sora interrupted.  
  
"Yes, and that's the same time that the door appeared and she walked through it. People who move to another world quickly forget about where they orginally came from."  
  
"So, she forgot she was from Hollow Bastion?"  
  
"I suppose so."  
  
"So, why haven't you forgotten where you're from?"  
  
She held up a locket. Sora couldn't see it before because it was tucked away in her shirt. She opened it to a picture of Kairi and Hollow Bastion. "It is all I have." She tucked it away. "That's how I remembered Kairi and Beast."  
  
Sora stood in thought for a moment. "I knew three people: Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith who said that they were from Hollow Bastion. Then there was Beast. Do that many people live there?"  
  
"You see, the castle belongs to Beast." She looked down to the ground. "My mother died very early, and I cannot remember my father, so Beast took us in."  
  
"You mean that's not your real home?"  
  
"Well, no, but it's where I've lived all my life, so I consider it a home."  
  
Sora took the time to sit down and rest for the while being. "Man, it feels like we've been here forever."  
  
Donald and Goofy and caught up. "Say, Sora," asked Goofy," how long you think we've been on this road?"  
  
"At least a few days," quacked Donald.  
  
Aleisa blinked. "You're not even close." They all looked to her oddly. "You didn't know? Depending on what world you live in determines how fast time passes. This is a small world, unimportant, so time slows down significantly here."  
  
"So, Miss Smarty Pants," Sora grinned, "how long have we been walking? A year?" He laughed.  
  
"Precisely," she answered calmly.  
  
Sora's, Donald's, and Goofy's jaws all dropped at the same time.  
  
"You can't be serious?" Donald asked.  
  
"It's true. Once you pass through the door, into another world, you'll find that time passes quickly." She looked to Sora. "You are from an island, correct? You world doesn't have much value to it, and it probably felt as if the days dragged on by."  
  
It was true, and Sora couldn't deny it, but a year? They'd been traveling a year?  
  
"So, if time's passing slowly here, then we have daylight longer," said Sora as he stood. "Let's get going." He looked down the road, and hesitated to continue. He saw a figure in the middle of the road about 200 yards away.  
  
"That the door?"  
  
Before he could get an answer, he sprinted down the road. Aleisa, Goofy, and Donald all had difficulty catching up. Within minutes, they had reached the end, all out of breath. Sora looked up to the door.  
  
"We're finally here," he said, panting.  
  
He drew his keyblade from his side, and held it out, but then hesitated. He remembered Aleisa saying that opening the door of one world will pour heartless into the others. He was willing to risk it, though. He would send them all back, and be back with Kairi again. He cared not about the consequences.  
  
He swung his keyblade, and a blue light illuminated from the end of it. A beam flashed into the keyhole, and they heard a click. They all waited at first. The sky had suddenly turned dark. Heartless.  
  
He touched the cold metal of the knob, and turned it slowly, then pressed forward. Aleisa, Goofy, and Donald followed eagerly behind. The door slammed shut behind them when they all walked through.  
  
Sora looked up to the skies. The rain was pouring down, and they were soaked within minutes. The city was dark, and lit only with the building lights. The buildings stood so tall. Much of the ground around him was dirt, and he wanted to avoid stepping in the mud, so he stayed on the line of asphalt. They all bundled together. Yellow, flickering lights glew from the ground. The lights increased. Sora found this all too familiar.  
  
Dark figures rose from the ground. Shadow heartless. They surrounded them, in a circle, and were closing in. Sora held tight to his keyblade, prepared for the worst. Aleisa, frightened, grabbed his arm. Donald and Goofy stood ready for attack with Sora. 


	5. Familiar Faces

Familiar Faces  
  
Sora stepped forward, his keyblade ready. He had to keep shaking off Aleisa because she clinged to him so tightly.  
  
He struck at the nearest heartless, and it evaporated as if it were a puddle of liquid in the heat of a desert. Another heartless replaced it. They multiplied by the second, and neared them closer. They jumped in for attack. Donald, Goofy, Sora, and Aleisa bundled together to hope protect themselves.  
  
Then the heartless began to spark and implode.  
  
All that was left in their wake after the few seconds of sparks that flew was a dark smog. All remained quiet for a moment, and then the smog began to swirl. It recollected into one large cloud, then crackled with electricity.  
  
They all stepped back from it. It began to take form. It seemed familiar. Sora recognized it as his own shadow, that grew into a dark phantom, where a hole replaced it's heart. It's yellow eyes glew with hate.  
  
Sora steadied his keyblade. He had fought this thing many times before, but this time, it was much larger. He was concerned mostly for Aleisa. She had no weapon, and couldn't fight, so it was going to be hard to concentrate on fighting if she was going to keep holding onto him. Luckily, Donald and Goofy were fighting with him.  
  
Sora heard footsteps, and turned around quickly. He saw someone who was very familiar. His metal boots clicked against the wet pavement. He wore loose, mauve attire straped with a belt at his waist, on his shoulder sat a brace. His turqoise eyes glew strangely, and his blonde locks of hair had laid flat from the pouring rain.  
  
He held out a large sword in front of him, and merely watched Sora, as if something seemed strange about him. He looked to the heartless, and ran for it, stabbing it below the hole where it's heart should have been. It seemed to have no effect. The heartless grabbed him, and threw him down. Sora looked at the limp man on the ground, and ran for the heartless, whilst Goofy and Donald protected Aleisa. Within moments, it had weakened from the absorbing power of the keyblade.  
  
The man opened his eyes. He laid on a soft cot in a familiar room. He felt dizzy, and his whole body felt heavy. He wished not to move. He heard footsteps, and closed his eyes again.  
  
"Are you awake?" Said a female voice.  
  
"Yeah, Tifa, I'm fine."  
  
"Good," replied Tifa, "I was afraid you were a goner for sure."  
  
"He just threw me down," he mumbled, "nothing to be worried about."  
  
Tifa put her hands on her hips. "You just have to act like Mister Tough Guy all the time, don't you?"  
  
He didn't respond. Tifa left the small room, and looked down at Sora. She smiled. "Thank you so much for helping Cloud."  
  
Sora chuckled. "Thought that was Cloud. He hasn't changed, has he?"  
  
Tifa blinked. "You know him?"  
  
"Long story. Let's just say he and I have had our fights."  
  
"But they're behind you?" Tifa gasped. "He never hurt you, did he?"  
  
"Oh, it was a tournament thing, so don't worry about it." A pause, and then, "My name's Sora. I don't think I caught yours." He held out a hand.  
  
Tifa smiled, and shook his hand. "I'm Tifa Lockhart. Don't believe I've seen you around Midgar before."  
  
"Midgar?"  
  
"Yeah. You've never heard of it? It's such a large city, I don't know how anyone doesn't know about it."  
  
Sora laughed nervously. "Eheh, I'm newer than you think."  
  
Tifa smiled. "So, do you know anyone from around here? I may know them."  
  
"Well, start naming some names."  
  
"Hmm," she thought for a moment, "Cid, Yuffie--"  
  
"Oh, I know those two!" He said excitedly.  
  
Tifa's eyes lit up. "Really? A ship engineerer and a ninja?"  
  
Sora nodded. "Yeah." Sora gasped when he remembered Cid. "Doesn't Cid work on Gummi Ships?"  
  
Tifa blinked. "Not sure, but I do know that he works on all kinds of ships and airplanes. You need something from him?"  
  
"You could say that," Sora replied.  
  
"Well, he's on the other side of town in Section 3, so ask around, and maybe some people can tell you exactly where he is."  
  
Sora scratched his head. "Uh, sure, okay." He smiled, and waved goodbye. "Thanks, Tifa. I hope Cloud gets better."  
  
He left and joined the others outside. Aleisa grinned at him. "So, who was she?"  
  
Sora shrugged. "Not quite sure, this is the first time I've met her."  
  
Aleisa said sarcastically "Suure."  
  
They left from Tifa's Seventh Heaven for Section 3, and stumbled upon slums and remains of a broken-down town. 


	6. Challenging Remembrance

Challenging Remembrance  
  
Trailers and broken down homes were scattered throughout the slums. One particular home appeared to be in the best condition compared to the others, so Sora tried here first, and Aleisa, Donald, and Goofy followed.  
  
The door creaked open, and the floor creaked as well when they stepped in. It appeared as though no one was there. Airplane models were hung on the ceiling, and plane blueprint had been laid out on various furniture that had been crammed into the small room. Though the room was a bit clustered, it appeared as though it were the living room, and kept fairly organized.  
  
There was a small desk across the room, a recliner turned away from them. They heard an odd noise from behind it.  
  
"What's that sound?" Sora asked, taking out his keyblade. Aleisa backed to the door, just in case. Donald and Goofy were at Sora's side.  
  
The chair moved and creaked. They heard someone mumbling loudly. "Dangit, can't get no bloody sleep around here 'cause there's always people running in here, asking for something!" The man turned towards them. He had greying blonde hair that was sticking straight up, and his clothes were distinguished. He stood fairly tall, and looked like a stern, almost mean, old man.  
  
"Cid!" Sora shouted. "I can't believe it's you!"  
  
Cid scratched his head. "Yeah, it's the old bagger who's been here forever, kid. Now scram. I haven't seen you around here, but I don't wantcha back. Got too many little demons running in and out of here as it is, asking for things to be fixed."  
  
"Hey, don't talk to Sora like that," Donald quacked. "What's the big idea?"  
  
"You in a bad mood or somethin'?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Am I supposed to give him some kind of special treatment?" Cid grunted. "Haven't seen him around here before, and suddenly, he seems like some huge bigshot. Well, whoop-dee-doo if he is."  
  
Sora raised a brow. "Cid, you don't remember me?"  
  
Cid coughed. "Can't say I have. I chase all the kids out of here. You a new little demon I gotta chase out of here?"  
  
"Sora.." Aleisa spoke quietly from the door.  
  
Sora turned her way. "What's up?"  
  
"I need to speak with you a moment..alone." She walked out, and closed the door after her. Sora scratched his head and followed.  
  
Sora joined her out back out in the slums. He felt a little edgy standing out there. "Something wrong?"  
  
"Cid doesn't remember you."  
  
"It seems that way."  
  
"Do you know why?"  
  
"Er.. not exactly."  
  
"Well," she started, "whenever Kingdom Hearts is opened, the heartless are sent back into the darkness, and everyone intends to forget that anything happened after that because they return to their original world and eventually forget about what happened before."  
  
"You explained that earlier, didn't you?"  
  
"Well, I came from Hollow Bastion, and I only remember that because of this locket," she said as she held the small necklace in her fingers.  
  
Sora lowered his gaze. "Is Kairi going to forget me, you figure?"  
  
Aleisa's eyes dimmed. "I don't know.. I can't really say."  
  
The door to the home opened, and Goofy poked his head out. "Uh, Sora? Cid wants to talk to you."  
  
Sora looked to Aleisa then walked back inside, and she followed behind. They returned back inside, and Cid looked to Sora frowning. "Sorry about what I said, Sora."  
  
Sora met his gaze. "Do you remember me?"  
  
Cid scratched his head. "Faintly. I couldn't recognize you at first because it's been a year, and you look different, but it took me a while to remember you."  
  
"How did you remember me?" Sora asked curiously.  
  
Cid held up a purple gummi block. "This was the same block that I used on your gummi ship when you traveled to The End of the World. The ship returned back to Traverse Town because it's at the beginning on our universe, and gravity pulled it that far. I kept the block so I could remember you, but it didn't do a whole lot of good because it took a little while to remember."  
  
Sora smiled. "That's fine. I just didn't want you to forget me."  
  
Cid laughed. "I don't think I can forget you. That's the same thing Yuffie said."  
  
"Yuffie told me when we departed that she couldn't forget me, even if she wanted to." Sora paused. "Do you think she might have?"  
  
"Can't really say," Cid replied. "There wasn't anything that she took with her once we all departed, I'm sure. If she doesn't have a physical possession to remember you by, she most likely forgot."  
  
"Where is she, anyway?"  
  
"Aeris's old house. She stays by there to baby sit Barret's daughter, Marlene."  
  
"Who's Barret?"  
  
Cid chuckled. "Trust me, you'll know him when you see him."  
  
Sora nodded, and turned from Cid after bidding him farewell. Goofy, Donald, and Aleisa followed, and followed a path close to the slums to a quaint little cottage-looking home. Up the bridge across the home was a small island where a garden of wildflowers possibly once bloomed, but they seemed to have died out, and were blackening. 


	7. Visit to an Old Friend

Visit to an Old Friend  
  
"Hello? Anyone home?"  
  
Yuffie flung around from the stove when she heard a young man's voice. "Who's there?!"  
  
Sora's eyes widened. "Chill, Yuffie. I just came here 'cause Cid told me to." He hesitated. "Do you.. remember me?"  
  
Yuffie smiled, and walked from the stove to the doorway, and gave Sora such a tight hug, she lifted him from the ground. "Kid, I said I couldn't forget you, even if I wanted to, didn't I, Sora?"  
  
Sora took her hands and jumped up and down. "You really do remember! But how so? Cid says you need a physical possession to remember someone by."  
  
Yuffie's eye twitched, and she said nervously, "Uh, yeah, about that--"  
  
Sora blinked. "Huh?"  
  
Yuffie smiled. "I'm a ninja thief, remember?" She held up Kairi's lucky charm.  
  
Sora dropped his jaw. "I can't believe you took that! It's not mine, you know!"  
  
Yuffie nodded. "I know that. I also knew that when you closed Kingdom Hearts, everyone would return to their own worlds. Kairi's world is closer to Midgar than it is to Destiny's Island."  
  
"But you could have told me! What if I found some way to get back to her, and didn't have her charm?"  
  
Yuffie frowned. "I didn't mean to steal, but it helped me remember you too, didn't it?"  
  
"I suppose," Sora mumbled.  
  
"Oh, Sora," Aleisa started, "don't be so down."  
  
Yuffie looked to Aleisa and smiled. "Good to see you again, Aleisa."  
  
"You know her?!" Sora exclaimed.  
  
"Sure, she was in Traverse Town when we were. You just never saw her. There are a lot of homes around there, and she hardly left hers."  
  
"I brought Kairi back to Traverse Town, remember? Why didn't you reunite them?"  
  
"I must've gone back to Hollow Bashion," Aleisa explained.  
  
"But that's where I rescued Kairi!" Sora shouted.  
  
"Calm down, Sora," Donald quacked. "No use in getting angry."  
  
"But it doesn't make any sense! Are you telling me you traveled to Hollow Bashion right after I rescued Kairi from there?" Sora questioned Aleisa.  
  
"I went to go--" Aleisa began.  
  
"Alright, enough jabbering," Yuffie said. "I just ate, and you're going to give me indigestion."  
  
Aleisa and Sora looked away from each other, and kept their distance. Neither of them were mad at each other, but Sora was so oblivious as to what had happened, he couldn't help but feel angry. He changed the subject. "Yuffie, Cid said this was Aeris's old house."  
  
Yuffie frowned. "That's right."  
  
"Well, where does Aeris live now? I want to go see her."  
  
"She lives in the Lifestream," said a small girl who had just came from upstairs.  
  
"Marlene! Don't say that!" Yuffie demanded.  
  
"But it's true!" Marlene whined.  
  
Sora just stood there quietly, and looked to Yuffie. "The Lifestream?"  
  
Yuffie scratched her head nervously, and turned back to the stove. "I'll make you all some soup. Sit down."  
  
So everyone sat. Within minutes, Yuffie had brought them each a large bowl of vegetable soup, and they all ate it in silence. "Heaven's to Pete," Yuffie sighed, "I can't believe how hectic it got just from you being here."  
  
Sora looked up from his soup. "You want me to leave?"  
  
Yuffie shook her head. "No, you just reminded me of.. Aeris."  
  
"Where is she?" Goofy said.  
  
"When Meteor attempted to strike, she called forth the Lifestream and blocked it, dissipated it. Can't really say what her orginal plan was.."  
  
"You're ignoring the question," Sora frowned.  
  
"She planned on, at first, using Holy," Yuffie continued, "but Holy fell in the lake at the City of the Ancients. We couldn't retrieve it. We thought all was lost, but then she called the Lifestream--"  
  
Sora stood from the table. "Quit ignoring me!"  
  
"She lives in the Lifestream now! Don't you see?!" Yuffie cried. She stood from the table, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Please excuse me." She walked quickly away from the table and upstairs. They all heard a door slam. Sora flinched. He looked over to Marlene.  
  
"Marlene, what's the Lifestream?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Yuffie just tells me that's where Aeris lives."  
  
"How do I get there?"  
  
"I hear there's a rumor you can get there from the Farplane."  
  
"The Farplane? Where is that?"  
  
"It's in some other world. I dunno, ask Yuffie."  
  
"I don't think that would be wise," Aleisa said. "I think she's a little stressed out as it is."  
  
"I don't know why she's being so stubborn," Sora mumbled.  
  
"Just drop it," Donald said. "We should probably be leaving anyways. There's not really anything to do here."  
  
"Marlene, where is the door to this world?" Sora asked.  
  
Marlene glanced upstairs, then led them outside, and into Aeris's dead garden. She pushed back some over-grown weeds and shrubbery, and a small door was imprinted into the granite. "You'll have to crawl through, but don't tell Yuffie. Tiffy was going to come pull up some of the dead plants the other day, but she found this, and decided not to touch it for a while. Only she and I know about it."  
  
Sora smiled. "Thanks, Marlene. Tell Yuffie I'm not mad, but I have my mind set on a lot, okay?"  
  
"Kays! Bye, bye, cutie!" She gave Sora a tight hug before he crawled through after Goofy and Aleisa. Donald laughed.  
  
"Looks like you've got a new admirer," Donald said.  
  
Sora smiled nervously, and returned the hug. "Give Yuffie a hug for me, too."  
  
Marlene's eyes turned sad. "You like her more," and she ran off back to the home.  
  
Sora scratched his head, and crawled through the small door after Donald. He seemed to be crawling through a cave or tunnel, and continued crawling toward the light at the other end. 


	8. A Whole New World

A New World

"I see the exit," Sora told the others.

"Good," Donald quacked frustrated, "cause I'm getting really cramped in here."

Sora crawled out of the hole from the dirt wall, and past a metal door that was built into the rock cliff. They all left the small caverns, and looked around at the unfamiliar land. There was much greenery everywhere, tall trees and shrubbery. Metal plates stuck out of the ground and he assumed them as steps. Below them was a cliff that dropped off into a lake below.

"Pretty," Aleisa said, admiring the tropical forests.

"Kinda reminds me of Destiny Island," Sora told her. "The trees and waters and such remind me of it."

"Then there's bound to be a shore."

Sure enough, fifty yards from them, there was. They cleared the large leaves that blocked the path and had obviously grown over it. It appeared that no one had visited the beach in a while.

"Purdy," Goofy said, looking at the sparkling waters across the horizon. He looked beyond them to some broken-down ruins that appeared to be at a far off distance. The sun reflected off both of the metalic cities in the distance and the ocean as the sun glew a bright orange, engulfed in flaming clouds, as the sun sunk lower towards the great waters.

"It'll be dark soon," Sora said. "We'd better find somewhere to sleep."

"But where?" Donald asked. "It looks like someone hasn't been here for a while."

"Well, maybe if we continue up the path from the caverns, we'll find somewhere to go."

So they backtracked. They climbed the stairs of machines that was embedded into the earth and walked a long path under lushious trees that hung over the cliff sides. Waterfalls tumbled over the cliffs and supplied the nearby lake with water. Bridges were built across the rocky shoals.

"Well, there are bridges," Aleisa exclaimed, "so there's bound to be civilization!"

So they continued further. A large machine was built into the path, and trees and shrubbery had grown over it. They could easily walk under it, it stood so high, but they wondered why it stood there in the first place. Past the machinery, there was a ruined statue that stood atop a hill. A view of the beach could be seen past it.

They raced down the steep hill, fencing on each side of the red clay path. Eventually, they led themselves into a small town with five homes and a large temple.

"Told you someone would be here," Aleisa said proudly.

"You're new here, ya?"

Sora spun around quickly, and looked up to a tall man in yellow overalls and flipflops, his hair styled oddly, bright orange. "Yeah. Do you mind if we stay the night here?"

"No problem at all, brudda," the man said cheerily. "Stay as long as you want at no charge. You guys look like you've been roughin' it for a few days, ya?"

Sora stroked his chin. "You look familiar."

"That so? Name's Wakka. I'm former captain of the Besaid Aurouchs, and you?"

Sora blinked. "Weird. You look familiar, sound familiar, and have the exact same name.."

"Something wrong?" Wakka asked.

"No, no," Sora said. "Just thinking."

"Well, go pay your respects to the temple. Yuna will show you how to perform the prayer." Wakka left in a hurry to the large tent-home, and Sora walked for the temple without asking questions.

Inside, there was silence. No one stood in the temples, which used to be filled with people, anymore. Sora ascended the stairs at the front and pressed through the door. Inside, there was a small room with strange statues lined around the room. An odd door sealed off the entry to the next room. Sora listened through the other side of it.

"Please, young Fayth, I need to know if there is any way.." He heard a young woman whisper. She repeated it several times before there was silence. He heard her stand and exit the room, and she was a bit startled when she bumped into Sora. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

"It's okay. I didn't know if you were coming out so soon," Sora said, smiling.

She smiled. "My name is Yuna. What are you doing here?"

"Wakka asked us to come here. We're.. uh.. new."

"Are you planning on staying?" Yuna asked.

"I don't know. Probably not for long. I just came to figure out something."

"What would that be?"

"There was a girl named Yuffie from another world--"

"Another world?!"

"Er.. I'll explain later--but she told me that I would meet another girl, Aeris, on the Lifestream, but she also called it the Farplane. Do you know of such a place?"

Yuna frowned. "Yes, but why would you want to go there?"

"Well, I want to see Aeris, of course."

"Well," Yuna started, "I can take you there, but.. you may be surprised."

"I don't see why she was so worked up about telling me about Aeris."

"She had a reason to be."

"What reason?"

Yuna didn't respond. "I'll take you to the Farplane."

She left the temple, and they all followed after her. Yuna entered the town square to speak with Wakka, and he nodded in approval. She spoke into a mic clipped to her ear, and a large ship arrived in the town square within a few minutes. Aleisa, Donald, and Goofy departed from them to the inn to catch up on some rest. Yuna and Sora entered the ship.

"Got a hitchhiker, eh?" Said the man at the control front who was tall, muscular, and bald.

"Father!" Shrieked a girl in blonde braids at the right-hand seat of him. "Don't be so rude!" The girl ran for Sora, and stood within inches of him. She and he were the same height. "Heya! My name's Rikku. Welcome aboard the Celcius!"

Sora scratched his head. "I'm Sora. Nice to meet you."

Rikku smiled, and looked into his blue eyes. "How old are ya?"

Sora blinked. "Fifteen."

"Oh well, I'll still be fifteen for two more days," she said as she turned away from him and resumed her place at the front. "Where to, Yunie?"

"Take us to the Farplane."

Rikku looked back, doubtingly. "Farplane?"

"Just do it. We wants to meet a friend of his."

Rikku shrugged, and pulled the airship into the sky, and set the course for Guadosalam. 


	9. Hope in Unbelongment

Hope in Unbelongment

The Celcius was so large, and it would be difficult to find a place to land near Guadosalam, so Cid figured the best place to land would be the Thunder Plains. Quickly, Rikku refused, but she figured she had to rid of her fear of thunder somehow. With a shudder, she shyly nodded, and they landed onto the plains near the site of a lightning tower. Rikku immediatly ran for cover under the metal tower as soon as she exited the ship.

"Eeks! I hate thunder, I hate thunder!" She squeeled, no one obviously listening to her, seeing she was the first to flee from the ship. She figured she might as well get out right after lightning struck elsewhere. It would be safest.

"What was that, Rikku? I couldn't hear you over the thunder," Cid chuckled.

"Vydran! Tuh'd pa cu sayh!" Rikku groaned.

"Cunno," he smirked. "You know, you gotta get over your fear of thunder some time. The best way to over come it is to take it on, face to face!"

"Maybe some other time, when the storms actually clear up around here," he smiled weakly.

"I think you and I will be visiting this Aeris by the time that happens, Rikku," Yuna giggled.

"Yunie! Hud eh vnuhd uv Sora!"

"What about me?" Sora said, departing from the ship. "And what's this about Aeris? What do you mean?"

Yuna frowned, looking to both Rikku and Cid, who were giving the same expressions in return. "You'll soon find out."

They walked down the paths, and Rikku kept holding them up, zig-zagging from tower to tower in fear of getting hit. When there wasn't a tower for a few yards, she was hide under Sora's baggy shirt as they continued walking, then would quickly resume to the next tower.

Within a while, they arrived at Guadosalam, and Rikku returned to her cheery form once more, then frowned when she remembered that Seymour had lived here, the creep. They walked up to the ramp that led to the entrance of the Farplane, where a man quickly stopped them.

"What business do you have at the Farplane?"

"This kid wishes to see a friend of his," Rikku said, pushing him forward.

"And I would like to see.. if I can contact someone as well," Yuna said meekly.

"If Lady Yuna wishes it, then it shall happen," he replied with a smile, and led them through.

As they followed the colorful hall to the stairs of wandering pyerflies, Rikku stopped in her tracks when many pyerflies bunched together and swarmed in their path. She shuddered.

"What's wrong, Rikku?" Sora asked, laughing. "I think they're pretty."

Rikku looked to Yuna. "Tuac ra--"

Yuna shrugged, wondering so herself. "Let's walk on through."

Rikku stayed behind on the stairs, and Sora kept glancing back at her, but followed Yuna up the stairs to a opaque wall of ty-died colors. He stepped through it cautiously, and followed her to the center of the platform, and stepped back quickly when he noticed the drop off that fell hundreds of feet below them into an endless pit, where waterfalls fell to the deep lakes below, and endless blossoms bloomed in lushious trees to what seemed as far as the stars from Spira.

But Sora did not see Aeris. Sure, this place was beautiful, but it also seemed frightening. How could he find her in a place so concealed, yet, so expanse?

"Uh, Yuna?"

"Yes?"

"I can't find her."

"Just.. think about her, and you'll see her." She pointed way out into the horizon, and Sora looked, but saw nothing. "Think about her. Look as far out as you can see, and think about her."

And so he did. He was frightened when he saw her floating over the darkness hundreds of feet below, but right before his eyes. She was just floating, still in the same bright, pink dress as before, her mesmerizing, green eyes a glow. She always wore a charming smile.

"Aeris! I'm so glad I finally found you!"

But she did not speak, and he did not know why. Yuna glanced his way, and frowned. Obviously, he hadn't known about the Farplane and the residents that lived there.

"Shocked to see me, huh?" Sora laughed. "You were always so cheery, I didn't think it was possible for you to be without voice."

Still, no response from the floating hallucination.

"Aeris? Is something wrong?"

"She cannot speak," Yuna said, joining him at his side.

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly as I say. What you see is an image from your memories projected by the pyerflies, and nothing more."

"You mean.. she's not really there?"

Yuna shook her head.

"There where is she? You told me that she lived here!"

"She does.. eternally." She left it simply at that, hoping he would fill in the holes for himself. "I wish to see if someone I know lives here or not, and I hope he doesn't."

"Then how you gonna find him?"

"I will simply.. see." She stood, thought, and prayed. She waited minutes, seconds, but saw nothing, and laughed. "He's not here!" She cried tears of joy.

"It's okay, Yuna. I'm sure you'll find him some other time."

She laughed, and wiped the tears away. "I hope so, I really do, but not here."

("Vydran! Tuh'd pa cu sayh!" "Father! Don't be so mean!"  
"Cunno" "Sorry"  
"Yunie! Hud eh vnuhd uv Sora!" "Yunie! Not in front of Sora!"  
"Tuac ra--" "Does he--"  
I'm not exactly sure if I got the right Al Bhed words. I know how to translate English to Al Bhed, but not perfectly, so excuse me) 


	10. A New Style

A New Style 

"Geez, Yunie, you're being awfully slow," Rikku whined.

"Just a moment, Rikku. I'm not used to wearing.. such attire," Yuna responded.

"Rikku, what is she doing?" Sora asked.

Rikku grinned. "She's wanting to become a spherehunter, but she can't go around dressed as she is and be one! You gotta have style and spunk and let people know she's not the sweet little Yunie anymore!"

"Rikku, I'm eighteen. I wasn't a sweet little girl in the first place," Yuna called.

"Then how did you let people run all over you, Yuna? You were much too passive, dear."

"Exactly. Now quickly get dressed and get out here. I still gotta get dressed into my outfit. We got someone to pick up from here, too."

Yuna threw the door open, and Sora's jaw dropped when he saw how different she looked. She was wearing a white tanktop that was a bit revealing, short dark blue shorts with a two-toned duster pulled around her waist and pushed to the side. On her feet, knee high, black tie-up boots. Yuna blushed.

"This is so unconcealing," she said quietly.

"That's the point. Duh," Rikku said in a singsong voice. "Now it's my turn to get dressed.

Within no time, Rikku was dressed and ran out of the room, but the reason she took so quick to get dressed was because she hadn't much to wear in the first place. She wore a sun yellow bikini with a short, army green skirt around her waist. She wore purple toned cowgirl boots on her feet, and a purple bandana around her head.

"I'll do my hair in braids, but later," she concluded. "It would take forever to put them in braids the way I want."

"I can braid," Sora said, embarrassed. "Kairi would always put Riku's hair in braids and wanted me to learn so I could braid hers."

Rikku grinned. "One sec." She ran into the cockpit and yelled to Brother. "Brother, oui mega?"

Brother turned around and his jaw dropped. His hair stood up straighter than it had already stood. "Rikku, (w)ro una oui tnaccat mega y (w)rina?!"

"Brother!" she shouted. "I am not!"

"What did he say?" Sora asked.

"Uh," Rikku started nervously, "he just kinda disagrees with what I wear, but that's his opinion."

Sora shrugged and smiled. "Looks okay to me," he said. "Just kinda like a bathing suit and skirt."

She grinned. "Exactly. We're going by my homeland to see my father, so I have to wear something like this because it's hot."

Sora turned to leave the bridge when he turned back to her on his heels. "Oh, I haven't explained why I'm here in the first place."

"Yeah?" Rikku said, sparkly eyed.

"I'm looking for a girl."

Rikku's smile dropped. "Oh? You have a girlfriend?"

Sora shook his head. "No, no, just a friend, but I live in a whole other world, and I have to get back to her."

Rikku frowned. "I see. Another world, you say? The Celcius here can take you anywhere in Spira."

"You misunderstand. She's not in Spira. Spira is YOUR world. My world is called Destiny's Island."

"The heck, you live on another planet?"

Sora scratched his head. "Er, sorta. Have you ever even heard of Destiny's Island?"

Rikku thought for a moment. "My friend, Paine.. her brother lives on Tyraine. Perhaps she can tell you where this girl is."

"So Tyraine is another world?"

Rikku smiled nervously. "If you put it that way, then I guess there are other worlds."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

"That's where we're going now: Sanubia Sands. Father is there with Paine and her associates from the Crimson Squad."

Only shortly after saying this, Brother had landed Celcius in the soft, yet scorching, sands of Sanubia. Standing under an old Machina, which was now being used as sun shield, was Cid and Paine. Rikku also saw a young, blonde boy just to the right of her.

Jumping off of the airship, Rikku jogged on over to Paine, and gave her a tight hug. She hesitated a little and returned the embrace. "Good to see you again, Rikku."

"Likewise, Paine." She looked to the cute blonde boy next to Paine. "And who's this?"

"Name's Gippal," he said, and offered a handshake. "You must be the lovely Rikku."

"Oabbanc," she said cheerily.

"Ah, you're Al Bhed," he said. "Duh, should've figured that one out since you're Cid's girl."

"I need someone who needs your help," Rikku said, addressing herself back to Paine.

"Hey, hold on a sec, Cid's girl," said Gippal. "How about you and I have a little chat while Paine and uh..whoever has that talk?"

Rikku looked to Sora, and smiled nervously. "Sorry. You explain to her whatcha gotta do." Rikku turned from them and followed Gippal over a small machina, and they sat by it.

Meanwhile, Sora was a little hesitant to talk to this girl. "Hi, name's Sora."

"Paine."

"Boy, it sure is hot to be wearing black," he said, referring to her clothes. He laughed, and then stopped when she didn't join. "Ahem, so.. Rikku tells me you have a brother in another world."

She raised her eyebrows. "Yes. You can't get there unless you go through a world portal, however."

"Do you know where the one for this world is?"

She nodded. "Follow me."

She got on a sandmobile machina, and he held on tightly and he climbed onto the back seat. Sora kept his eyes closed while the sand whipped in his face. Paine, Rikku, Gippal, and Cid all had goggles, but he didn't, so he hadn't a clue where he was being taken. When the machina stopped, Paine pointed to a large sinkhole in the ground.

"We tell people not to go near it because a large fiend lurks within in and preys on human flesh. Anyone who goes near it will be dragged under." She looked to him and smiled. "But we know the real reason. It's a portal."

Sora smiled and nodded. "Thank you so much. Tell Rikku and Yuna thanks for everything and I hope Yuna finds what she's looking for." After saying this, he closed his eyes and jumped in. A blue light luminated from the hole, and Paine blinked.

"What was she looking for?"

* * *

"Brother, oui mega?" is "Brother, you like"  
"Rikku, (w)ro una oui tnaccat mega y (w)rina?!" is "Rikku, why are you dressed like a whore"  
"Oabbanc," is "Yuppers."

* * *

(I know you're thinking "What the crap? Why are her W's like (w)?" I don't know the Al Bhed letter for W, and I'm not using a translator, so there.) 


	11. Unexpected Turn

Unexpected Turn

When Sora fell into the portal, he ended up somewhere where he would've never suspected.

When he hit what seemed to be ground, he was unsure, for his eyes were closed. When he pried them open, he saw a short girl who seemed rather familiar, standing across from him and staring at him oddly. Her hands were in her hair when she screamed. He covered his ears at the shrillness of her shriek.

She ran out of the room in a flash, and Sora looked around at the environment. The walls were bleached and tiled, and he was beginning to wonder.

"Am I in.. the girls' restroom?" he questioned.

He found himself sitting in the sink, and hopped off of the counter and to the floor. He quickly made his way out of the bathroom before anyone else noticed him in the wrong area.

"Were you in the girls' bathroom?" he heard someone say. He turned around to see a thin, Asian resembling young woman. She giggled. "Are you lost?"

Sora scratched his head. "Uhm, I couldn't read the signs?"

She pointed to the signs that clearly read "Boys" and "Girls" on each door. 

"Oh, I forgot my glasses." He snapped his fingers. "Can't see a darn thing without them."

"You're probably drunk," she suggested. "You don't even look old enough to be drinking, but to tell you the truth, neither are we."

"Where am I?" Sora questioned.

She laughed. "You must really be drunk. Did you forget you're at Garden?"

Sora blinked. "But this isn't a garden. We're inside."

She sighed hopelessly. "Kid, you've been drinking way too much," and she departed from him. When she was out of sight, Sora yawned and wondered how late it was. He knew he hadn't gotten sleep in quite some while. When the followed the long hallway and into another, he heard commotion. He ran down the catwalk and to a large lobby, where he saw many young people dancing, laughing, drinking, and having a good time.

"Wonder what they're celebrating," he murmured.

"There he is!" he heard someone shriek. He noticed the short girl he encountered in the girls' bathroom, along with a taller, lean, young blonde teenage boy. "He was in the girls' bathroom. Dunno if he's drunk or what," the girl continued.

"Hey, hey," Sora started, "I'm too young--"

"Then what are you doing here?" the boy demanded. "You some kind of freaky stalker or what?"

"What?! No, I got lost--"

"You'd have to be drunk to walk into the girls' bathroom," the boy continued.

The girl scratched her head. "Actually, what was weird was that he kinda appeared there."

The boy looked to her and raised an eyebrow. "No more spiked drinks for you."

She laughed nervously, and turned the other way, running off.

"I'm not even old enough to drink," Sora said. "What's all this about stalking?"

"Come on, be easy on him, Zell," Sora heard someone say. It was the Asian looking girl again. "If anyone tried to stalk Selphie, she could take them down easily."

"Well, I'm just concerned.." Zell said.

"Got a crush on her?" said the girl.

Zell rolled his eyes and walked off. The girl laughed.

"Sorry about him. He's got a bit of a short temper." She paused, and then said "My name's Rinoa."

"Sora."

"You really don't know where you are?"

"I was looking for uhm.. someone who has a sister named Paine."

Rinoa smiled. "That would be Squall. You want me to take you to him?"

"I know him! Haven't seen him in a while, though."

"So you're not as lost as you think. Follow me." 

Rinoa took Sora's hand and dragged him through the massive crowd and to the Quad. At the Quad was an overhanging balcony that faced towards the ocean. Squall was looking out at the moon when he heard footsteps. He turned his head.

"Sora!" he exclaimed.

"You remember me," Sora said.

Squall smiled slightly. "Sure, can't forget you."

Rinoa looked to Squall and smiled. "You okay?"

He returned the smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. You go back in and enjoy yourself."

"Alright. See ya."

Rinoa left, and Sora watched her walk off, then looked to Squall, confused. "I'm so lost."

"You'll experience it one day if you haven't already. Girl's catch onto it faster most of the time, but you'll get it."

"I don't mean THAT. I mean I don't know where I am."

"You trying to make your way back to Kairi?"

"How did you know?"

Squall laughed. "Our hearts are connected, remember? Although I'm happy because I'm with Rinoa now, I felt saddened for some reason and wondered if it had something to do with you." He smiled. "It seems that you do know what love is, then."

Sora brushed his foot against the ground. "It's not love. My home is there--"

"With Kairi," Squall added.

"Well, she's my friend. I also have to free Riku. That's why I..let her go."

"So it was for Riku at first that you left. Have you changed your mind?"

"What do you mean?"

Squall grinned. "You know what I mean. Now, your primary concern is Kairi. I can see it in your eyes."

Sora sighed. "Paine said you knew how to get back to Destiny Island. Tell me how.. please."

Squall frowned. "You're not going to get Riku back?"

"If I come across the world where Riku is trapped, then yes, but as of now, I don't know how to get to him."

"Are you jealous?"

"What..?"

"Of Riku? He's older than you, and you haven't ever felt like he has the upper hand towards Kairi?"

Sora lowered his head. "Pssh, please. Riku would win her over much quicker than I would. He's handsome, brave, fights well.. he's smart, quick, and what am I?"

"Hadn't it have been for you, however, the chosen Keyblade master, Kairi's heart would still be locked," Squall said. "You degrade yourself far too low. I would not be here with Rinoa if it weren't for you, and many people returned to their rightful worlds."

"What do you mean?"

"Did you see that girl with the yellow dress? Did she seem familiar? It was Selphie, who grew up on your island, but now, that memory is fuzzy because she is meant to be here in this world."

"What if Kairi is meant to be in another world? She said she can't remember where she came from.."

"It could well be that she went back to her Original World.."

"Leon.."

"It's Squall."

"Squall, how do I get to Destiny's Island?"

"Don't worry about that now."

"But--!"

"You're stressed and tired," Squall said, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Rest. You need it."

Squall led Sora away from the Quad and crowded lobby and to the dormatories. He offered his dorm room, and though Sora refused, he gladly accepted the hospitality when he lied down onto the soft bed. Within moments, he was quickly asleep. 


	12. Left Behind

Left Behind 

"That butt-muncher!" Donald quacked. He smacked Goofy with his wand as Goofy lay at his side sleeping.

"Ow, Donald, what was that for?"

"Sora left us behind again!" he shouted.

"Der, where did he go?"

"I dunno, but the King told us to follow the Keyblade, and he's probably ran off to another world!"

"Er, maybe we oughta ask someone around here what happened to him."

"There was that summoner girl who was around here somewhere. Maybe she showed him the way to another world!"

I saw someone at the end of that ship that landed here. She might know, too. Her father stopped by shortly to talk to me about a hole that they were investigatin' in the desert."

"Hole?"

"Yeah, they tell everyone that it's just a hole where a monster lives, but it's really a portal to another world."

"So you think they took it?!"

"I reckon so."

"Bah!" Donald said. "We gotta find him!"

"But how? Without that airship, we won't have anyway to get there."

Suddenly, a short, blonde headed girl with wild, braided hair ran in and bumped into Wakka, who had been snoozing on a stool at the counter.

"Wakka, get up! Yunie said she came back to look for items, but I think she wanted to explore the place a little more. Can you help me find her?"

Wakka yawned. "No problem, ya? Though, I don't know all the places she would go."

Just as Rikku was dragging Wakka out of the tent, Donald clasped onto her leg. She yelped.

"Do you mind?!" she said.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking up her leg with a sheepish grin. He tried to stare at her face and not up her short skirt. "Do you know where Sora went?"

"Sora? That cute brunette boy? We dropped him off in the Sanubia Sands."

"At the world portal?" Goofy asked.

Everyone got quiet and looked at Rikku strangely. She smiled. "Yeah, the fiend's hole. He wanted to see if he could defeat it."

"Oh, no, you mean the--" Goofy started, then Donald interrupted him.

"Thanks so much, ma'am," Donald said, smacking Goofy in the nose. "He's probably in trouble and needs our help."

She smiled. "Pro'bly. Make sure he doesn't get hurt, kay?" She winked, and ran out with Wakka.

"Uh, wait," Donald called after her. "You think we can ride your airship? We're going to need a ride there."

Rikku winced, hesitated, then nodded.

* * *

Sora awoke the following morning wide eyed and energetic, but he didn't move and looked out at the window above him and to the deep blue sky above. He smiled when he thought he saw Kairi's face in the clouds.

"Hey kid," he heard someone say, and sat up, seeing Squall about to leave the room. "Sorry if I woke you up. I had dirty laundry I had to get."

"Oh, no, you didn't disturb me. I just woke up."

"About time. It's getting near noon."

"Really?!"

Squall nodded. "You're not planning on staying too much longer, are you? After today, you'll have to enroll into Garden for a little while. Else, they'll think you're an underclassmen whose trying to skip class."

"Maybe I can just talk with the head guy."

"Headmaster Cid? Actually, he's probably going to appoint his wife, Edea, or Quistis within a year. Or at least, that's what I've heard."

Sora scratched his head. "Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with the names."

"Don't worry, I'll help you out. I'll introduce you to some of my friends here, too. You already met Selphie and Zell, but you probably didn't aquaint with either of them real well."

Sora winced. "I hope Selphie doesn't still hate me."

He smiled. "I'm sure she doesn't. She's really understandable and optimistic. She'll be fine."

Sora thought for a moment, then said, "Squall, you know there are other worlds, right?"

"Well, sure, my sister is in another one."

"The thing is.. in the last world I was in, Paine's world, there was this guy named Wakka, and here, there's Selphie."

"And?"

"Well, on my island, there were two people named Wakka and Selphie that looked, sounded, and acted just like them, except on my island, they're at least three years younger than the ones I've ran into."

"Different worlds have different time zones," Squall explained. "Time runs faster in some worlds than others. It could've been that the worlds they are in now are the worlds they were meant to be in. Selphie is new here from Trabia, or that's what she claims. I don't know about this Wakka, though."

"You mean.. the time on my island goes slower than the time here?"

"Worlds that aren't very significant are slowed so that the life span on those worlds are longer. Everything has a certain balance. It could be that when you finally make your way back to Kairi, you could be several years older than her and don't know it."

"How much faster does this world move than Spira?"

"Spira moves faster than this world," Squall said. "Spira is more significant. There is a bigger population and there is Yevon, their God. Here, we don't really have a religion. It really depends on the factors of the world and outworlds, such as they have the Farplane. Here, we have the heavens."

"Farplane? I was told to meet someone in the Farplanes."

Squall frowned. "You went to see someone who was dead?"

"Aeris died?!"

"It was Aeris..? I hate to hear that, but I had heard the rumor. Yes, people who go to the Farplane are souls who have passed and gone. Technically, they have two worlds: the Farplane and Spira. Here, we just have the world of the living."

"What about Destiny's Island?"

"I can't say for sure. I haven't been on your island, but it seems that your island merely exists for the sake of Kairi."

"What..?"

Squall nodded. "I think Kairi is meant to be there, but I cannot say for sure. Have you heard the saying 'Only the strong survive'? The same concept goes for worlds. Worlds that have little significance cease to exist, yet, your world does exist, and there is a reason that you must find as to why it does."

Sora held his head. "Whew, all this talk of worlds is giving me a headache."

Squall smiled. "Wanna lie back down?"

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Sleep as long as you'd like. A storm will be coming in soon, and you'll probably feel like sleeping more, but I'd get up and take advantage of the sun."

"I'll be up soon," Sora said.

Shortly after, Squall walked out and shut the door behind him. Sora looked out his window again and to the skies, but the cloud he saw of Kairi earlier had blown away.


	13. Pressing Forward

Pressing Forward 

"So, where's your next destination?" asked Squall.

"Who knows?" Sora said, slipping his T-shirt back over his head. "I don't know where the next world will go. The thing is.. from here, I have no idea how to get to Destiny's Island. It could be far off or really close."

"Do you feel like Kairi is really close?" Squall asked.

"Huh?"

"When two people really love each other, they know when they're close, and know each others feelings."

Sora rolled his eyes. "I told you, it's not like that."

Squall smiled. "Whatever you say," and he walked out. When Squall was clear out of sight, Sora looked to the door and sighed.

"I don't know what it's like," he whispered.

There was a knock at the door and Sora jumped.

"Hey, kid, it's me, Selphie!"

"Oh, come on in."

"You dressed? I don't wanna walk in on you like you did in the bathroom with me."

Sora blushed. "Yeah, I'm dressed. Come on in."

Selphie opened the door and closed it behind her, then sat at the edge of Squall's bed and looked up to Sora, smiling. Sora kept glancing from her to the window, then back at her.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"You seem so familiar. What's your name?"

Sora smiled. "Sora, Riku, Kairi. Destiny's Island. Ring a bell?"

She squeeled. "Ah, yeah! I knew you looked to familiar! How ya been?!"

"At least you're another person who believes in other worlds."

Selphie hugged Sora's neck. "Yes, I remember you. You and Riku always fought, right? Wakka, Tidus, you, and I also had our duels."

Sora scratched his head. "I just saw Wakka at the previous world I was at."

"Ah, really? How is he?"

"Still has that accent."

"Did you see Tidus?"

Sora shook his head. "Nope, didn't see him. I'm figuring maybe he's in another world."

"So, you're trying to get back to Destiny's Island?"

"Hey, Selphie, that incident with the Heartless was only about a year ago. How are you several years older than me?"

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"I'm only seventeen."

"But on the island, you were only thirteen when I was fouteen."

"Who knows? Squall probably explained time zones to you."

Sora paused a moment. "Say, Selphie, do you know a way to skip to other worlds really fast?"

Her lips curled. "Uhm, yes, but it's not a good suggestion."

"What do you mean?"

"You remember how you were able to skip to many worlds when the Heartless came? That's because the worlds were unconnected and you were able to travel by way of a Gummi Ship. Because the worlds are connected, you can only travel within worlds of this galaxy by way of the keyblade and world portals."

"THIS galaxy?"

"This is only one galaxy. It could be Destiny's Island is in a completely different one. You would have to get to it by a Gummi Ship."

"But how?"

"You would have to summon the Heartless again. That's the only way to disconnect the worlds."

Sora winced. "But that's kinda risky."

Selphie nodded. "Exactly."

"What Galaxy is Destiny's Island in?"

"I don't know. Right now, you're in the Squaresoft Galaxy. Can't really say where Destiny's Island is."

"Where can I find the locale of the Heartless?"

"That, you're going to have to find out for yourself."

"Do you know someone who might know where it is?"

"Hmm.. right now, Zell is studying about other galaxies. Why don't you ask him?"

"The blonde kid? I didn't click with him really quick, you know."

"Oh, Zell just has a short fuse, but he won't hurt you. Don't worry about him."

* * *

Zell had a blueprint laid out of the following worlds in the Squaresoft Galaxy. He was moving over certain worlds with his index finger and finally found the world where Sora was located.

"Aha. This is us. The next world you're about to go to has two worlds."

"Come again?"

"The worlds are connected. The world you want to go to is hidden under this world. It'll take you into the Kingdom Gates."

"Kingdom Gates?"

"Yeah," Zell continued. "It's a place where you crossover into the next galaxy. I would watch yourself, though."

"Why so?"

"There are Heartless that reside there and if you trigger something, they'll spill from the doors in Kingdom Gates."

"Is that the same place as Kingdom Hearts?"

"No, Kingdom Hearts is at the end of the Universe," Selphie explained. "Kingdom Hearts is the light beyond the darkness of our Universe. Kingdom Hearts is the reason why stars, worlds, exist, because there is light."

"If you wonder why stars light up at night, it is because of Kingdom Hearts," said Zell.

"But within every light area, there is darkness. It is the dwelling place for the Heartless," Selphie added.

"If I opened the door to Kingdom Gates, would the worlds be disconnected?"

Selphie bit her lip. "Yes, but you would send Heartless into this Galaxy and the one beyond it."

"Are you really willing to risk so many lives for one girl?"

"It's not just her," Sora explained, "it's for my friend, too."

"You're being kinda selfish," Selphie said.

"You mean 'Selphish'", Zell laughed.

"I'll fix everything, I promise," Sora said, "but I've got to find my way back to her. What if there was someone you really cared for and you were distant from them? Wouldn't you go to the very ends of the Universe to get her back, even if you're risking a lot?"

You have no idea, Zell thought, glancing at Selphie.

"I'll fix things," Sora said. "I've got to figure out where I belong, and I want to know that she belongs there.. with Riku and I. I'll find him, as well."

Zell smiled. "Fine then," he said, and threw Sora a key. Sora looked at it strangely.

"What's this?"

"I managed to snatch it from Squall," Zell said. "It's the key to the next portal, along with the help of your Keyblade. Don't worry, he has a spare."

"Say hi to Riku and Kairi for me when you see them," Selphie said with a smile.

Sora grinned. "No problem. Thanks for everything, guys." He stood from the stool in the Library and made his way to the elevator.

The key unlocked a secret floor to b2. He noticed a locked panel and used the key to unlock it, then pushed the button. When the doors opened in the darkness, he stepped into a hole and yelped when he fell into the void below.


	14. Worlds Apart

Worlds Apart

"Kairi, Kairi, wake up!"

Kairi sat up straight in bed on Destiny's Island when she sworn she had heard Sora's voice. It had been a year now that she hadn't seen him, and she still heard his voice in the morning.

The routine would be this:

Around nine in the morning, when the sun had risen into the sky, and it was still speckled slightly as a rainbow of magentas dripping over the horizon, Sora usually woke her up to a new trick he had learned to defeat Riku, or a new game Riku and he had pondered. Of course, it was near impossible to defeat Riku, but she knew it had been possible, seeing as though he was once been posessed by Ansem and, thus, made him several times quicker and stronger, but Sora had been determined.

"Kairi, Kairi, hurry up!"

Then down to the beach. At the beach, their most favorite pasttime was swimming, but of course, Riku and Sora liked to gang up on her and toss her into the ocean when she was lying on the beach to soak in some sun. She brightly remembered when she one time got a mouthfull of seawater, and a fish as an appitizer.

"Kairi, what's taking you so long?!"

Then she would fall behind trying to catch up with Riku and Sora. They ran so much faster than her, and she would always pout when she lost, and they would give her gifts later to make up for it. When Riku had been away or sleeping, perhaps working on the raft they never used to set out for their adventure, she and Sora would take to the caves behind the waterfall that fell beyond the shack. It had been covered by large leaves and was considered their secret hideout. Riku and Sora used to draw in it when they were younger, but over the years, Riku had forgotten about it.

When Sora once got into a huge fight several years back with Riku, he was upset, and ran into the cave to get away from everyone else. Kairi heard distant sniffles, and soon discovered the cave. They weren't very close before then because Kairi was so shy, seeing she had been new.

Sora would never believe that her optimism came from himself. Perhaps he had just forgotten.

"Kairi, I want to show you something!"

"Huh?" Kairi whispered.

"Geez, I've been shouting for the last hour," said a girl's voice outside Kairi's window.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were Sora," Kairi replied.

"That boy you nag on and on about?"

"Yeah," she said quietly, staring down at the ground with a frown on her face.

The girl finally made her way up to Kairi's room at the top of the ladder along the path to the caves. She had blonde, wavy hair that fell to her shoulders, and she was only a year younger than Kairi. She had emerald eyes that sparkled mischeviously, and she was about Kairi's height.

"Come on, I want you to play down on the beach with me," she said.

"Magnolia, it seems rather early, don't you think? I haven't even gotten to know you very long."

"Tssh, I've been here a year," she said. "So have Navani and Cheisu. Don't you wanna go hang out with them? Don't you think they're totally cute? Cheisu is the same age as you, and Navani is only a year older."

"Much like Sora and Riku," she said quietly.

"Aww, come on, they're in the past. Sometimes, you gotta look forward, Kairi. You know that you're going to have to get married here, right?"

"Huh..?"

"If you don't, then all the people on the Island will die off eventually, and there won't be another generation after it."

"What are you guys talking about?" said a male voice. Cheisu, a brunette with wild hair and dark blue eyes, much like Sora's, entered the room. "Magnolia, didn't you tell her that we wanted her to come down and play?"

"I did, but she won't come down. She thinks it's too early."

Cheisu smiled, and walked to Kairi. She had been looking down at the ground in thought, but now, he was lifting her chin and looking into her eyes. She blushed slightly.

"Don't you wanna come down? It's almost eleven. Is something wrong?"

She kept seeing the image of Cheisu's face and then switching to Sora's. Cheisu had similar pools of blue eyes, and she looked the other way, pulling her face from his grip.

"I'm sorry, I'm just in thought is all."

"She misses this one boy who was here a year ago," Magnolia whispered into Cheisu's ear.

"Oh, that so?" he whispered back. "Lemme handle this."

Magnolia nodded and left to join Navani on the beach. Cheisu sat at Kairi's side and put a hand on her shoulder. She shook slightly at his touch.

"Kairi, I really like you a lot," he admitted. "I.. want you to be my girlfriend, and I know there's a sweet, optimistic girl inside you, a crazy one." He smiled, then frowned. "But this isn't like you, I know."

She turned her head slightly towards him. "Chessy," she said, his nickname, "he'll come back. He promised he would. I know Sora wouldn't ever break that promise. He never had broken a promise for me."

"Kairi, sweetie--"

Kairi completely turned her gaze away from him.

"--it's been a year now," he continued. "Don't you think that he would've come back by now?"

"If you really do love me," she said coldly, "then you'll accept that I love someone else. He will come back. He will. He also has to find Riku. He's not selfish. That's why he left me because he did have to find him. He will come back. I know it.."

Cheisu sighed, and moved closer to Kairi, kissing her on the back of the neck. She flinched, and didn't look his way. He walked out, and out of her field of hearing, said "You'll change your mind."

When he had left completely, Kairi glanced from the door then back to the wall, closed her eyes, then finally let the tears fall from them.

(As suggested by "Minnie" the next chapter will be dedicated to her suggestion.) 


	15. Left Behind II

Left Behind II 

"Have you summoned the Lady?!"

"Do you think she'll perform a sending? Afterall, she's switched to a new hobby of spherehunting now, I hear."

"Surely, the Lady Yuna hasn't dropped all of her morals?"

"But do you think she'd even want to?"

"Should we really lose a soul to being unsent?"

Aleisa opened her eyes, and everyone watched in awe and gasped as she sat up slowly. She raised an eyebrow. "Hello?" she said awkwardly.

"Tis a miracle! She has awakened!"

"Duh. You could've woken me up," Aleisa informed.

"But we called and called to you, m'lady," said an elderly man, "but you did not stir."

"Is there something wrong?" asked Yuna as she entered the tent.

"I have no idea," Aleisa said.

Yuna gasped. "She's already reincarnated!"

"Whaat? What are you talking about? I was asleep and woke up! It's not so amazing when you consider the fact that it happens to everyone."

"But we shook you and yelled to you, but you did not wake," said the elderly man.

Aleisa yawned. "Where's Sora?"

"He who bears the large key? Why, he has gone to the forbidden hole in the Sanubia Sands."

"You mean.. the 'Fiend's Hole'?"

Yuna looked to her and nodded.

"Why would he leave me?" Aleisa whispered. "He's the only person I have left.."

* * *

Donald stared at the large, dark hole that caved into the ground, waddled, then jumped up for the dive when Goofy stopped him.

"We forgot that girl," Goofy stated. "We forgot Aleisa back on that island."

"Ah, phooey! We have to go after Sora! He's our responsibility!"

"But she said she really wanted to meet Kairi, and Sora really wanted her to meet Kairi, too."

"Well, he forgot about us, so how do you know he didn't just leave her on purpose, too?"

"He could've just been anxious to get to Kairi and forgot about her. Afterall, she hasn't been around a while."

"Then what about us?"

"Do you think.. Sora tried to ditch us on purpose?" Goofy asked, twiddling his thumbs.

Donald cackled. "That's a good one, Goofy. Now, come on! Quit thinking such nonsense and jump in already!"

* * *

"Ohh," Sora groaned when he turned over in his sleep. "Man, had another dream about Kairi." He reached for his head and blinked. "And I forgot Aleisa, too! This just hasn't been my day.."

He lied back down flat on his back for a few moments to relax in the soft bed. He had yet to pay attention to his surroundings. He thought back to not too long before:

"I opened my eyes for one second and saw two blue eyes staring back at me. I wonder if Kairi's here?" he thought. "I'm too lazy to wake up," he mumbled.

"Fool, you better wake up, or I'll knock out your teeth so fast, it'll wake up your dentist!"

Sora's eyes flew open and he sat straight up, looking up to a very tall man with goggles tied around his forehead and a ragged beard that matched his outlaw attire. He chuckled.

"Buwhahahaha! Thought that would wake up, boy," he said. "You've been sleeping forever. If you're gonna be on my crew, you better not be lacking on the job."

"Crew? Since when?" Sora said, rubbing his head.

"Dunno. Figured since I was the one who saved yo' ass and gave you shelter, the least you can do is help us out," he said.

"Geezer, you didn't help out nothing," Sora heard someone say. The door across from his opened, and a blonde teenage boy stepped into the room, his clothes in an older western style, and his boots, totally out of style. He grinned. "Sorry he's confused you. I bet you don't even know where you are, do you?"

Sora shook his head. "Afraid I don't."

"Well, since geezer here can't give proper introductions," he held out a hand and firmly took Sora's, shaking it,"my name's Zidane. Zidane Tribal. What world do you come from?"

"Uh.. Destiny's Island?"

Zidane scratched his head. "Never heard of there before. I meant 'world', not location. Terra or Gaia?"

"Wait, there are two worlds here?"

"Boy, you must've hit your head really hard or something. I'll break it down for you: There are two worlds, Gaia and Terra, but Terra is currently under reconstruction, but there is slowly a city going up there."

"This is perfect!" Sora squeeled, standing straight up. "I was looking for a world with two worlds."

The older gentlemen's eye twitched. "Come again?"

"Baku," Zidane said to the geezer,"go see if Blank or Cina or anyone needs you. I'll talk to this kid. He seems a little.. confused."

"Awright," he said, and walked out, gaffawing all the way out the door. "Buwhaha!"

Zidane chuckled. "He's a little silly sometimes." Zidane sat down at a stool next to the bed and looked at Sora, frowning. "So, what's this bit about 'two worlds in this world'?"

"First off, do you know that this is a separate world? I don't just mean.. Gaia and Terra," Sora explained. "I mean there are other worlds besides those two."

Zidane's eyes widened. "Interesting," he said. "Tell me about them."

"You see, I'm traveling through these worlds and into others.. looking for this girl."

Zidane smirked and rolled his eyes happily. "Ah, yes, all for a girl. Everyone thinks I'm nuts."

"You mean you're looking through other worlds for a girl, too?"

"Not quite, but she's a bit of a distance from here. You see, I basically had a 'fued' with my.. 'brother' and it caused a lot of chaos. More than one could imagine between 'siblings'. I got really hurt and had to take a while to heal. The girl I love thinks I'm dead. I've been away for so long. I was hurt and near the point of dying, but I managed to make my way a ways across Gaia and let myself heal. Everything led up to getting this airship and the one year anniversary of her being queen is tomorrow, so all of us are going to go visit her and give her a big surprise!"

"That's great, Zidane," Sora said. He smiled. "You've given me a lot of encouragement, you know?"

He laughed nervously. "I'm sure it sounds strange, going after the Queen of Alexandria, but she's my age, so it's not so peculiar. Her mother died, which made her queen automatically, you know."

"It's not so strange, Zidane," Sora assured. "After all, I'm in love with the Princess of Hearts, or perhaps even Queen of Hearts." He laughed. "Now it sounds like I'm talking about a deck of cards."

Zidane raised an eyebrow. "I'm a little confused."

"It's a long story, but don't worry. I'll help you out with the ceremony and maybe you can help me out with what I have to find."

Zidane smiled. "Kid, you got a deal."


	16. Confrontation

Confrontation 

"Donald!" Aleisa screamed. "You were gonna leave me behind! I knew it!"

"Wha-what?!" Donald yelled in defense. "Do you see us jumping in the hole?!"

"No, but you're standing right next to it," Aleisa said, walking away from the airship that had taken her to the desert.

"Don't look at me," Donald said, looking across the way at Goofy, who was snoozing next to a broken-down machina that supplied shade. "Goofy was the one who thought to leave you."

"Don't even go there," Aleisa said. "Sora told me you're notorious to do things like that. Blame the worst of the situation on others."

Donald laughed nervously. "Lighten up. We were gonna uh.. just scare you a little, is all."

"Hmph." Aleisa turned her back on him. "I'm sure that's what it was," she said sarcastically.

"So, you believe me?" Donald said with a grin.

"Ugh. No, I don't, you retard," she said.

Donald rolled his eyes and walked over to Goofy, stepping on his toes. "Wake up, Goofy. Aleisa's joined with us."

"Oh, good," Goofy said, yawning. "I knew she'd catch up if we waited on her. See? I'm not as dumb as I look."

"Yeah, you are," Donald said. "You don't get it that I was trying to leave her behind, do you?"

* * *

"Hey, Kairi, wanna fight me?" Navani said with a grin.

"I don't know," Kairi said, putting her toes in the foamy seashore water as she sat on the beach. "I'm a little down today."

"I can teach ya how to fight," he said. "I know since you're a girl, it doesn't sound so great, but Cheisu ran off somewhere, and I can't find him. We can do something else if you'd like."

She smiled. "Well, whatever your preference is."

"I wanna show you something," he said, standing up from the shore.

"Like what?"

"Just come on. I'll show you." He stood above her and knelled down to take her hand. She was led away to the caves. She followed him into the musty, familiar cavern labyrinth that had been sitting there alone for a while.

"Navani, I already know about this," Kairi said sadly.

"I know," he said, "but take a look at this."

He led her into the chambers of the caverns, and Kairi saw the same, familiar door that led to who knew where against the wall, but it was glowing.

"See? Isn't it weird?"

"I've never seen it glow before," Kairi said. "I wonder if it means anything."

Navani was like Kairi's older brother. He never seemed like he was flirting with her, so she was much more comfortable around him than Cheisu or even Magnolia, seeing Magnolia had a tendancy to be kinda snobbish. He had shoulder-length, raven hair that curled slightly at the ends, a tropical tan, and large, dark eyes. He looked to Kairi and smiled. "You know how Magnolia and Cheisu tease you because you want that boy to come back, but they're so sure that he won't?"

Kairi looked to the ground. "Yeah.."

He smiled warmly. "Don't worry, I think he will." Kairi looked up to him, her eyes slightly wide. He nodded. "I have someone that I've lost, too. She lives in another world. She looks so much like you, and I miss her everyday, but I'm not gonna flirt with you like Cheisu because you and she are two different people." He paused. "You're actually much more kind than she is, but she's just sensitive is all. I won't act unfaithful to her, even though she could be millions of miles away."

"She's your girlfriend?"

He scratched his head. "No, but I want her to be. Maybe, just maybe, if I could rescue her, she would notice me. When I first saw you, you probably noticed that I was a little frightened to be around you at first because you do look so much like her, but I came to realize that you were someone else. It turns out, you may ultimately be the better person."

Kairi frowned and shifted her feet side to side.

Navani smiled. "Don't worry. I know you're saving yourself for someone else. I'm not going to make you feel nervous because you're willing to wait for him to come back. Just like I'm waiting for her."

"Did she ever even know you existed?"

"Well, we went to the same school, sat in the same classes, my name is similar to hers, so I always sat right in front of or behind her, and to top it all off, I could've walked to her house in five minutes."

"Was she stuck up?"

"Me and her had a lot in common. I'm sure we could've been good friends if I would've just had the guts to stand up to her. As a matter of fact, she had some of the same friends I did, so you can see the comparison."

"You'd be a really good person for her."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure."

"Don't be so quick to judge yourself," she assured. "Like you said, you and I are close like siblings, and I see you have a good heart. Much like Sora does."

He smiled. "Thanks so much, Kairi." He frowned. "Though, I'd be careful around Cheisu."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Maybe I'm just paranoid, but he likes you more than you may realize. He could be kind of your stalker."

Kairi laughed. "He wouldn't have very far to stalk me on this island, would he?"

Navani smiled slightly, then looked to the door, which was still illuminating. "Who knows? Maybe this door glowing is some type of sign that he's near."

"It happened on the night of the Heartless," Kairi said with a frown. "I'm a little worried."

"The only way to connect the worlds is to summon the Heartless, you know."

"I know." She looked to the ground. "That's why I'm so worried.."

She had yet to tell anyone that she was the Queen of Hearts.

(I have just this evening made a drawing of Cheisu and Kairi, in case your were wondering what Cheisu looked like, and I have it submitted on Search: Saikia. Enjoy if you want to see the ebil drawing '.')


	17. Preparations

Preparations 

"Whew, lookin' snazzy," Zidane said as he looked in the mirror. "Though I wear these all the time, you gotta admit that I look damn good looking in them." Zidane grinned.

"Er, right," Sora said, scratching his head. "So, how long 'til we get to Alexandria?"

"About an hour. The festival is gonna be so big, I can already hear the music playing." He looked to Sora. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure, Zidane, anything."

"You see, we're going to give her a surprise visit. We'll be performing a play this evening called 'I Want To Be Your Canary.' We performed it back earlier, which is where we first kidnapped her." He scratched his head. "Long story, but anyways, we're one actor short. Don't worry, you'll be masked if you're worried about anyone seeing you, but we need you to do the fight scene with Blank because I'm supposed to be the ugly old beggar."

"Blank doesn't even know me, does he?"

"Blank gets along with everyone.. well, except me because I annoy him, but you seem to be a likeable person."

"And Terra?"

"I'll get you to Terra as soon as possible, but we need to get to Alexandria first." Zidane smiled lightly, then whispered to himself "I have something to give her."

"Zidane, you forgot about me! You almost died back there!"

"Huh?" Zidane said, looking around.

"Ah, stop her, she'll squeel on Garnet!" Baku yelled.

"What are you--" Zidane was taken down by a midget girl.

"Zidane! I'm soo glad you're safe! Don't ever pull of any stunt like that again!" She shuffled her foot along the ground. "I told you.. I loved you, right? Is that why you came back?"

Zidane blinked. "Eiko, I love Garnet, you know that."

"Yeah, yeah, but what about my feelings?!"

Zidane pat Eiko on her blue-haired head. "Eiko, I'm eleven years older than you." He frowned. "And how'd you get on the ship?"

"I've been on the ship. I've been on for a year, but Baku wouldn't let me to you."

"How come?"

She shrugged. "I dunno, but it was pissing me off because I really wanted to see you, but they said I'd spoil it if I got out in the open and went to Garnet."

"You know about the play?"

She nodded. "I love easedropping, you should know," she said with an innocent smile.

Zidane smacked his head. "Oy." He looked to Sora. "Eiko, this is Sora. He'll be helping us out with the play."

Eiko looked up to the brunette and her eyes got wide. "Ooh, he's cute, too!" She tugged on Sora's shorts.

"Yes?" Sora said.

"Do you uhm.. got a girlfriend?"

"Erm.." Sora started.

"Yeah, he does, Eiko. He's going through several worlds to see her."

"Er.. okie.. dokie," Eiko said. She sniffled. "I'll never find anyone."

"Sure you will, Eiko," Sora said, knelling down to the seven-year-old. "You're so precious, someone will have to notice you."

Eiko's eyes perked up. "Aww, Sora! You're so romantic!" She took his long hair, pulled at it, and kissed him on the cheek, then ran off as quick as her legs could carry. Sora scratched his head and laughed.

"Eheh, I've got too many admirerers."

Zidane nudged him in the side. "It's alright. So do I."

* * *

Kairi went to the waterfall the following evening and looked around for anyone to notice her. The sun had fallen out of the sky and the moon was rather bright and full, even behind the clouds in the sky. There were several lights flickering here and there on the island as people got ready to go to bed, but she didn't worry about it.

"Whew," she said relieved. "I haven't had a shower in a while."

She stripped off her clothing and lied them to the side next to the waterfall that fell in front of the hidden caves. The sun wasn't out to heat the water, so it was slightly chilled, but still rather warm. She shivered, and looked up to the moon.

"I hope I can get a little bit of sleep tonight. It's always relaxing to take a shower and then go to sleep."

She rung her hair out and sat down in the crisp water when she heard footsteps. She jumped, and listened. She sank lower into the pool.

"Come out, come out, whereever you are," she heard someone whisper.

She didn't dare answer back. She couldn't figure out who was talking.

"Kairi.." someone called in a menacing voice.

"Cheisu?" she whispered.

"Yep," he said behind her. She screamed, and he held a hand over her mouth. "Chill out," he said.

"Cheisu, do you mind?! I'm trying to have some alone time here."

"But you look too lonely," he said, and knelled at the waterfalls. He stroked her cheek with his dry hands. He couldn't see that she was narrowing her eyes.

"Cheisu, please go away."

His lip was pouted out. "But why?"

"Because you make me feel uncomfortable," she admitted.

"Well, if you got to know me better, you'd learn that I'm not such a bad guy."

"I don't want to know you better," she mumbled.

"Are you saying something?" he said.

She didn't respond. She turned her back on him, and he ran his fingers down her back and along her sides, close to her bare breasts. Her eyes widened.

"I'm really not as bad as you think, Kairi," he said, moving his hands further down her spine. "If you were with me, I'd treat you with respect. Far more respect than that other guy has for you. Running off and leaving you all alone. The nerve of that guy."

"Then why don't you respect her now?" Kairi heard someone call closely.

Cheisu turned around to find the blade of a crafted sword at his chest. His eyes widened.

"Get away from her, Cheisu," Navani said in the darkness, his eyes glowing in the radience of the full moon. "Don't think I won't hesitant to cut you open."

Cheisu swallowed a lump in his throat, backed away from Navani's blade, and ran as soon as he got to his feet as quickly as he could.

When Cheisu was out of sight, Navani dropped his sword and looked down to Kairi. "Are you okay?"

He couldn't see her face, but saw that she was nodding. She wouldn't stop nodding. He knelled to her side. "Kairi, did he.. touch you somewhere?"

She slowly turned her head and her scared eyes made contact with his. She didn't nod, nor shake her head, and she didn't say anything. Tears ran from her frightened eyes. Navani's eyes burned with anger.

"I'll take care of him," he said standing.

"No, Navani! Don't hurt him! He's just confused."

"Kairi, I'm really worried about you. I don't want some creep like Cheisu being around you."

Kairi lowered her gaze away from him. "I'm alright. I can take care of myself."

"But you're too passive--"

"Navani, please.." she pleaded.

Navani didn't respond, turned, and walked away from her. A considerable distance away from her, he said "Goodnight, Kairi."

(Check out my drawing if you want on !)


	18. Night of the Festival

(Disclaimer: Er, here's the thing: the next chapter was supposed to involve the scenes from "I Want To Be Your Canary" Eheh, yeah. The thing is.. I haven't played FF9 in a while, and even if I had, I probably couldn't tell you the last bit of the play, so I'm gonna make it up. It's a fanfiction, anyways, so don't shoot me.) 

Night of the Festival

"Whaat? You can't be serious!" Zidane yelled.

"Don't yell at me, Kupo," said the little moogle, it's pom pom shaking under his anger. "I'm just the messenger. Don't keel the messenger, Kupo!" and it flew off in a flash, frightened by Zidane. Sora, who was in the next room, joined him and watched the moogle fly off, shaken.

"Why'd you scare the moogle off?" Sora asked.

"I didn't mean to, but it makes me so mad!"

"The moogle..?"

"No, you dolt! Argh!" Zidane smacked his head over and over. "Ruby, the girl who we had play as Princess Cornelia, has some type of virus. Blank said he had talked to her earlier and could barely understand her because her voice had gotten so raspy, and now, the moogle just sent a message saying that she's running a fever and would surely faint if she got on stage under all those bright lights."

"Well, don't be mad at Ruby."

"I'm not mad at Ruby, it's just the fact that I'm pissed off because it's finally the night of the show, and I wanted everything to go perfectly, and here, one of our main characters have gone sick!"

"Can't you use Eiko?"

"She's too young, too short. Besides, Garnet will get suspicious and wonder how the crap Eiko got up there."

"There's no other girl around?"

"No! We couldn't use one of our members to improvise because they all look too manly." Zidane leaned against the wall, blinked, then looked to Sora.

"What..?" Sora asked nervously.

"You! Your voice hasn't deepened yet and your figure isn't as manly!"

Sora held up his arms in defense. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! First of all, I'm a guy. Even if I could dress up as a girl and perform this play, there'll be too many lines to remember! The play shows in a couple of hours!"

"Even though Princess Cornelia is one of the main characters, she's knocked out for most of the play, so you won't have to worry about too many lines."

Sora sighed. "You're sure I can pull this off?"

"Positive. Besides, we have no one else. Blank is the closest person to a girl besides you that we have, and he would have to be completely concealed, and his voice would still change. Not to mention he can't see well enough as it is, and he'd be tripping over his robes."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Alright, but in exchange for this, you better show me to Terra and so much more."

Zidane grinned. "You got it."

* * *

"Beatrix, when is the play again?" Garnet asked for the fourth time.

"M'lady, I've already told you several times. The festival will be in two hours, and the play in three. Why must you fret so?"

"Because everyone will be coming back! It will be so good to see them again. Afterall, I've just been sitting around on this throne for who knows how long ever since.. that day."

"You don't expect.. him to come back, do you?"

She sighed. "I keep feeling this tugging in my heart. It's as though our hearts are connected, and I have this feeling he's still alive, but.."

"It's been a year, My Queen. You have to let it go."

"But since I've been queen for a year, does this mean..?"

"Yes, you'll have to soon marry."

Garnet lowered her gaze. "I see."

"I've heard a rumor.. that Sir Steiner will soon be joining us," Beatrix said. "He has been away for a while," she added quietly.

Garnet nodded. "Yes, Alberto Steiner has been out for Militian reasons and fighting elsewhere. Though I have given up hope on Zidane, he still believes him to be out there somewhere.."

Beatrix opened her mouth to say something, but decided not to, and turned away from the throne and entered again to Alexandria Castle.

* * *

"Ooh, just like last time. Everything's so big, but it's not as great as before," Vivi exclaimed. "Flags dangling everywhere for the big festival of the crowning Anniversary of the new Queen of Alexandria." He looked to the ground and twiddled his thumbs. "I wish Zidane could be here with us.."

* * *

"Finally, out into the sun once more as I step away from the dreary Bermecia," Freya said, stepping into the sunlight and away from the neverending city of darkness, despair, and thunderstorms. "Although I am with my Sir Fratley once more, he still remembers not of the past, but the past may be something we must all put behind us." She removed her hat from her gray head. "This is something Her Majesty of Alexandria must cope with at the lost of her love.."

* * *

"Ah, finally a safe return home to the palace of hope where I belong in the depths of Alexandria at the side of my Queen," Steiner said as he stepped from the train board to Alexandria. "Alas, I will also be at the side of another queen whom I wished I would return to," he said quietly.

(I know it's a little short, and I didn't include all of the characters, but I was getting the main points across.)


	19. The Performance

The Performance 

"Ugh, do I really have to wear this?" Sora questioned, looking in the mirror at his reflection. He was wearing a magenta and aqua colored robe that fell to his feet and a cloak hood that covered his head. He wore a blonde wig over his brunette head and pulled the cloak over his eyes so no one could tell he was a boy, but nevertheless, he was embarrassed. Zidane whistled.

"Ain't you one sexy mama?"

"Zidane, I feel bad enough as it is. You're not making me feel better."

Zidane grinned. "I'm just trying to break the tension."

"Are you sure there's no one else to do the part?"

Just then, Sora heard a crash in one of the rooms of the airship in the distance. Zidane blinked and turned away from him. "I'll be right back. Eiko probably forgot to turn on the light again and ran into something."

Sora watched as Zidane walked down the hallway and into the dark room. He switched on the light and shut the door almost completely behind him. Sora listened for any movement and watched as Zidane was shoved back out into the hallway and jerked against the wall.

"Yeesh, chill out, lady!" he shouted.

"Well, you shouldn't be acting like you're so cool," Sora heard someone say.

"Aleisa?" he said.

"Sora?!" Aleisa ran into the hallway and into the room with Sora. She looked around, then looked to him. "Have you seen someone named Sora?"

"Uhm.." Sora started.

"This is just too rich," Zidane said, falling to the floor, rolling and laughing. "She doesn't even recognize you. I suppose that's a good thing, cause no one else will if she doesn't."

"Sora?" Aleisa said, peeking into Sora's hood and jumped back when she saw his face. "What are you doing dressed like a woman?!"

"Sorry, chick, it's a long story," Zidane said, "but he's going to be in a play and there wasn't a girl around to play in it."

"Now she's here! I don't have to do this, right?" Sora said.

Zidane smirked. "Sorry, you still gotta do it. She doesn't know the lines, now does she?"

Aleisa looked to Zidane. "There's a performance going on? Is it anything like 'Romeo and Juliet'?"

"A little bit. It's a tragedy and there's a love scene."

"What?!" Sora exclaimed.

"I never studied that part with you," Zidane said, wincing. "Kinda didn't want to, but basically, I'm this ugly beggar who is in love with the princess and I go to meet her, which is you. We kinda just hug real affectionatly is all."

Sora's eye twitched. "There's no kissing?"

"If there was, I'd cut it outta there," Zidane said, laughing nervously. "Now come on, the play starts in a few minutes. I gotta get into my cloak, so shoo shoo."

Zidane led both Aleisa and Sora out of the room and slammed the door. Aleisa looked to Sora, her eyes wide. "You left me!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," he said, lowering his head. "I'm just really anxious to get back to Kairi, and I left you and--" He paused. "Donald and Goofy aren't with you?"

"Uhm," she started, looking to the ground. "You see, I ran ahead of them and found how to get here, but they still aren't sure how. I shut off the elevator in the last world where the portal was contained, so it would take them a while to get here, if they get here at all."

"But why? Were they being a nuisance to you?"

"Well, for starters, me and Donald just don't get along. Kinda like how he and you don't get along. Goofy was okay, but I knew he wouldn't go off somewhere on his own. He'd follow Donald."

"That's not really a good enough reason. They've been with me this whole time, you know."

"Then why did you leave them?"

Sora scratched his head. "Erm, they were.. annoying me and in the way?"

"See? That's exactly the reason I ran away from them."

"There was no other reason?"

"Well.." she started, and was interrupted when Zidane kicked open the door, dressed in a dark, hooded cloak that fell to his feet. Sora paniced and drew his keyblade.

"Whoa, whoa! What're you doing?" Aleisa asked.

Sora looked to his keyblade and lowered it. Zidane removed the hood from his head. "Is there something wrong?"

"Sorry," Sora replied. "You just look like.. someone I used to know."

* * *

"Pray tell, Princess," Blank said, standing on stage at Sora's side. "Why would ye run to some beggar of a man? He not of royal blood?"

"Aye, Blank," Sora said, tuning his voice up slightly to match that of a girl's. "You, too, are not of noble blood. Why must I run with ye to the lands of distance? What difference be that of you and he?"

"You tell me this, Princess."

"Then I shall. He has a heart. He cares for me."

"Naive Cornelia. Do you think I will not cherish you but all of my days at your every whim?"

"Your head is so large. Your ego so high. You think only but of yourself. You only wish to cherish me but for the riches of my father's and thine." Sora turned away from Blank and walked off stage.

"Ah, Cornelia. Your fate hath been determined, then. If I shall not have you, then neither shall Marcus." Blank followed Sora off stage and the grand audience applauded when the curtain shortly fell.

"Great acting," Blank said to Sora, nudging him in the side. "You sound and move just like a girl."

Sora grinned. "I lived on an island with a girl and immitated how she walked because it got on her nerves."

"It came in handy," Blank said with a smile.

"We need to get Zidane on stage soon." Sora said. He looked off a bit in the distance and saw Zidane trailing ahead in his cloak. "What's he off so far away for?" Sora asked.

"Who's off so far away?" Zidane said, walking to Sora's side.

Sora blinked. "Uhm, nothing," he said, and looked off stage to see that the cloaked figure had disappeared.

"Intermission's over," Blank said, "so let's get this last act over with."

"Right," Sora said, and walked on stage.

Blank ran around the set and to the other side of the projection, where he encountered Sora.

"Good day, fair Princess," Blank said.

"Good day, Blank."

"Aye, will Marcus not be showing up soon?"

"That, he will be."

"I'm afraid he won't be here to see you tonight, Princess," Blank concluded, and punched Sora in the stomach. He fell over his arm and Blank dragged him off stage as the Princess, and remained offstage. The lights dimmed and Zidane walked on stage with Cina, who was the faerieman.

"Where could she be?" Zidane asked. "I asked her to join me under the moon by the riverside."

"Come, Marcus," Cina said to Zidane. "I cannot stay but only a while. Will you be leaving for the new world with Cornelia or nay?"

"She said she would come here. Could it be that she had forgotten me and ran off with another?"

"Marcus, the night is short. You must come or stay. Come, Marcus!"

Zidane walked to the end of the stage, the shadows concealing his face. "Am I never to hear her sweet voice again? Could she have left me behind?" He turned to stare at the moon. "No, Cornelia would never leave me. Our love is much too pure." He called to the stars "Oh, Heavens that give light to the stars and moon above, grant me my only wish--"

A stagelight beamed on Zidane as he removed his cloak and looked to the balcony where Princess Garnet sat. "Bring my beloved Dagger to me!"

(Okay, so it's not exactly the same lines of the play, but I mentioned that they weren't going to be the same, so there.)


	20. Delayed Reaction

Delayed Reaction 

Garnet stood there for a moment, dumbfounded and wondering if what she saw was really true. She peered down at the bright lights of the stage and saw the same familiar, blonde hair on the ragged old fool who ran off and left her. Her heart pounded and she fled from the balcony and swept past Beatrix. Beatrix smiled warmly as she watched Garnet push her way through the guards who blocked the doors.

Garnet pulled up her dress slightly to keep her from tripping and flew down the stairs in a flash. She opened the castle doors to the bright stage lights that beamed over her eyes and she shielded them at first. A crowd blocked her view of her lover, and she brushed past them all. One man was leaving from the audience and thrashed into her side, and her crystal pendant was knocked from her her neck.

She watched it fly into the air and gently land on the ground several feet from her. She moved forward to retreat it, then turned the other direction towards the stage. She tore her crown from her head as tears poured down as face and she jumped into Zidane's arms. He caught her and spun her around. She wore a questioning look as how he returned, and he smiled, simply shrugging. For giving her quite a fright, she punched him several times in the chest, proving that she still had strength even after several months and had kept in shape since last fighting.

After hitting him several times, she let her tears fall from her face, and Zidane held her close. The audience roared at what they thought was just part of the play, but the characters that Zidane traveled on their long journey knew it was a cimema of reuniting.

Beatrix joined Steiner on stage as they took the sword that Beatrix served Queen Brahne with for so long, Save The Queen, and held it up in the stagelights as a reflection between the two bonds formed between the two main roles at the end of the scene.

* * *

Even after the crowd stood to leave from the stands after the play, Zidane and Garnet stood back stage, Zidane holding her tightly and looking into her eyes. She couldn't stop smiling.

"But how..?" she started.

"How'd I make it back?" Zidane asked.

She could only nod.

"Well," he said, "I couldn't stop thinking about you. I thought I would die right there, but then I heard your song, and it gave me hope, so when I felt discouraged, I just kept singing it."

She looked down to the ground, still leaned closely against him. "Don't ever do that.. again. I thought you were gone forever."

He smirked. "I would never leave you, Garnet."

She looked up and smiled. "My name's Dagger."

He scratched his head. "Er, right."

"Excuse me," Sora said, walking to Zidane's side. He noticed Garnet and yelped. "So sorry, Your Majesty! I should be more.. appropriate?" He knelled to her feet.

She giggled. "It's really not necessary. Anyone who helps Zidane out is a big help to me."

Sora stood and nodded, looking to Zidane. "What about Terra?"

Zidane winced. "Well, I finally met up with Dagger--"

"Zidane, you're not going to make a promise then break it, are you?" She looked away from Zidane and to Sora. "Why must you go to Terra?"

"Have you heard of.. other worlds?"

"Come on, Sora," Zidane started, "we don't have time--"

"Why, of course I have," Garnet ended.

Zidane's jaw dropped. "You mean there are other worlds?"

She nodded. "Sure, Doctor Tot taught them to me. There is supposed to be 'one with a key who unlocks the doors to other worlds.' As of now, they are disconnected."

Sora held up the keyblade and grinned. "You mean this key?"

Garnet gawked. "Yes! In Terra, there are three indentions where you place three crystals to open the door to Kingdom Hearts." She frowned. "But I warn you: be careful with what you do there. You decisions could be disasterous. The key could be used for good or destruction."

"But where do I find these crystals?" Sora asked.

"Dagger! I'm so happy to see you!" Eiko said, running to their location. "You dropped your pendant," she said, holding it up in her hands. Sora also noticed two sparkling earrings in her ears.

"Eiko, thank you for the pendant," Dagger said, taking it, "but I'm going to need to borrow your earrings for a while."

"No way! My grandpa gave these to me!" she cried.

"If you give these to Dagger," Zidane said, "you can go out on a date with Sora."

Eiko turned to Sora, staring up at him, her eyes wide. "Really?!" she squealed.

"Uhm--" Sora started.

"Of course," Zidane said, nudging Sora in the side. "He'll be happy to."

Eiko quickly displaced the crystals from her ears and handed them to Sora. She then winked. "See you tonight, hun," and she trotted off.

"Don't worry," Zidane said, "you'll be long gone by the time she comes looking for you."

Dagger's lip pouted. "That was kinda mean."

He shrugged. "If Sora needs help, I'll help the kid. I can't break a promise, afterall."

"So, when do we get outta here?" Sora asked.

"Anytime," Zidane replied.

"Can we go now?"

"Sure," Zidane said, then looked to the back of the stage. "Alright, pull 'er up!"

"Wait, what are you doing?" Just then, Sora felt the stage start to shake.

"You didn't know the stage was part of the airship? Better hold onto something."

The airship rose into the sky and Garnet held onto Zidane. Sora stumbled backwards a bit and found himself plopped down on his butt. She airship rose over the grand city, Alexandria, and Sora heard a voice call from the inside.

"Yo, Zidane. Where to?" Blank called.

"Take us to the Shimmering Islands," Zidane concluded, and they were on their way in a flash.


	21. Inverted Planet

Inverted Planet 

Aleisa yawned when she heard the door slam shut inside the airship. She had also felt it jolt moments before and stirred to see what had happened.

"Have fun with the play?" she asked.

Sora grinned. "You betcha. Things ended up quite nicely."

Garnet entered the airship at Sora's side. Zidane had yet to enter behind her. "Yeah, Sora was the real star of the show," she said, and nudged Sora in the side. "He was an awfully handsome princess."

Aleisa frowned. "You're who?"

Garnet blinked. "I am Queen Garnet til Alexandrios XVII. Have we not met?"

"I'm afraid we haven't. You're kinda young to be queen. You sure you're not bluffing?" Aleisa challenged.

"Uhm, Aleisa, you should be more respectful," Sora said.

"What's going on in here?" Zidane said, entering the airship. He moved to Dagger's side and rubbed her bare arms. "You need to get some sleeves on. It's getting cold."

Garnet smiled. "I will in a bit." She departed from Sora and Aleisa. Zidane followed, and the two left alone looked to each other.

"Aleisa, are you just asking for trouble?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"She's the queen of Alexandria."

"She's probably full of it," Aleisa said coldly.

"Uh, no, that's why we came here in the first place because Zidane wanted to meet up with her again."

"Then if she's queen, why is she leaving her post?"

"She's just accompanying Zidane, who's leading me to Terra."

Aleisa glanced behind her as she watched Garnet walk off in the distance down the hall. "She doesn't like you?"

Sora laughed. "Yeah, the queen of Alexandria likes me," he said sarcastically. "No, she loves Zidane. I have someone, remember?"

"Huh..?"

"I only told you about Kairi a thousand times," Sora said with a frown.

"Well, I didn't really care to listen," Aleisa said, moving her gaze away from him. "Sorry for being rude to her. I'm gonna go see where we are." She departed from Sora and walked out onto the deck of the airship. Sora scratched his head.

"What's her problem?"

* * *

After an hour or so, the airship had found it's destination lingered above small islands covered in patches of snow and white, and there appeared to be no civilization. The air temperature had dropped and the islands barely existed among the large ocean seas. As the airship neared the islands for landing, Sora felt gravity pull the ship in and panicked.

"Are we losing steam?" Sora asked Zidane as he joined him in the control room.

"What? Oh, you think because we're being lowered quicker that there's something wrong?" He pointed to the islands as they ventured closer. "Don't worry. Terra in under the islands. Another world. The waters that exist below the surface is merely a plasma, rather, a thick sheet of air compared to that of Gaia. You might find it a little hard to breathe there."

"So you're saying that since we're nearing another planet, the gravity of Terra is what's dragging us in?"

"Exactly," Zidane concluded. "This airship is so old, however, if we get near it, we probably wouldn't be able to pull it back away from the islands, so step out onto the deck for a surprise."

"Are you telling me we're going to jump that distance!" Sora exclaimed. "That's a few hundred feet!"

Zidane grinned, and walked away from the controls, leaving the room and descending for the stairs. "You'll see," he merely said as he headed for the deck. Hesitantly, Sora followed.

When Sora and Zidane stepped out onto the deck, they immediately were lifted into the air and floating. Sora gasped a bit, then laughed when he realized that there was no danger. Aleisa, who had been in another room near the deck, heard the doors slam and felt the airship jolt back into the sky.

"Oh, no, you don't," Aleisa mumbled, "you're not leaving me behind again," and she fled from the room and onto the deck as she watched the islands become smaller and smaller as the airship ascended back into the sky. She frowned, and hesitated when she saw how small Zidane and Sora had become, like tiny ants as they neared the islands to another world below. The airship hovered near five hundred feet above the islands and she walked to the edge, held her breath, and jumped. Meanwhile, Baku at the controls panicked.

"She's going to be in freefall for several hundred feet! What if she combusts!" he shouted.

"Kinda late to do anything now, huh?" Blank replied.

Aleisa was in freefall and winced at the friction that whipped against her clothing. Normal skydivers could prevent friction with equipment and clothing they wore, but her clothing didn't slow down the gravity, and she fell for near twenty seconds before the gravity of Terra pulled her in instead, but within ten seconds, she had fainted due to her fear of heights.

When Zidane and Sora had made their way to the ground safely outside of Terra City and stood before a large set of twisted web-like ladders and mirrors in an alien landscaping of resonating stones and ear ringing silence, Sora looked up to the sky towards where the airship had hovered.

"I hate to leave Aleisa behind, but-" He stopped short and saw something drifting slowly towards the surface of Terra. Aleisa was entered into the atmosphere through a thin membrane of plasma, and was gently pulled down to the ground. Sora caught her before she touched the ground, however.

"Is she okay?" Zidane asked when he noticed her eyes had been closed.

"We'd better find a place for her to rest," Sora said.

"I know where the city is in this place," Zidane concluded. "Follow me." With this, Sora followed Zidane through the strange terrain to a city in the distance that glew a mesmerizing blue.

(I am soo sorry that took so long. I've been busy and such '.'!)


	22. Foreign Planet

Foreign Planet

Aleisa slowly opened her eyes before blinking several times. It was difficult to see who was hovered above her and she wondered of her surroundings. A bright blue illuminated in all directions of both her primary and perifial vision. She saw a dark figure hover above her and she was frightened for a moment, until he eyes adjusted to her surroundings and she saw Sora's friendly face.

"Sora?" she whispered.

"You okay, Aleisa?" Sora asked.

"What happened?"

He smiled. "You're afraid of heights, aren't you? That's what Zidane assumed when you fell into Terra unconcious."

"I was unconcious?" Aleisa asked quietly.

"Don't worry, there's no aftereffects happening. Not that we've noticed," he added.

"This is Terra?" she asked as she sat up. She noticed many faces that looked much like Zidane. All were blonde, both the girls and boys, and had unique tails. "They look like.."

"Zidane, I know," Sora said. "He told me to wait here with you. He wanted to show me something."

By this time, Zidane reentered the small room where several beds were lined against the wall. Behind him was a girl slightly shorter than he, blonde hair and blue eyes, with a pink tanktop and a pearl skirt. She stood in the doorway shyly.

"This is Mikoto," he explained. "She's a genome, like me."

"Gemome?" Sora questioned. "Is this your birth planet?"

Mikoto nodded. "He denies his birthplace."

Zidane scratched his head and looked back to Sora. "The genomes of Terra have lived in isolation for many years, and find their existence meaningless."

"Our existence is-" Mikoto started.

"Ah, ah, ah," Zidane said, shaking his index finger, "you don't put yourself down like that again, remember? Kuja and Garland only made you feel your feelings of unbelongment."

Mikoto looked down to the ground, her face still rather sad looking. She forced a smile. "I am sorry. I am trying, as you may know."

Zidane laughed. "You still sound as dull as Garnet when I first met her. Act more casual like me."

"If only I were as precious as you," she replied.

Sora looked back and forth between them and scratched his head. "Erm?"

Zidane looked to Sora and yelped. "Eeks, sorry, kid. Forgot you were here."

"Er, don't worry about it. It happens often," Sora said.

"People often forget us, as well," Mikoto said.

Zidane sighed and turned to Mikoto. He smiled and patted her on the head. "My sweet, sweet sister."

"She's your sister?" Sora asked.

"More or less, yeah," Zidane explained. "I am a genome of this planet. We are the same, as the other people here are my sisters and brothers. You don't think we all look the same?"

"Why do you look so sad?" Sora asked Mikoto. She refused to answer.

"There was a dictator here named Garland. He thought of them as just all empty vessals and made them question their existence far more than one should. Sure, it's okay to question your origins. One learns of himself more this way, but the way he did-"

"Kairi," Sora whispered.

"Kairi?" Zidane asked.

"Sometimes, she questions her existence. I wonder if she'll even be there when I return?"

Aleisa sat there in silence, dumbfounded and unsure what to say. She had opened her mouth several times to reply, but when Sora mentioned Kairi, she figured she shouldn't. She had already made a fool of herself in front of the Queen of Alexandria by being jealous of her. She turned her gaze away from them all.

"Can we go now?" Aleisa asked.

Sora quickly gazed to Aleisa and smiled. "You feel up to it?"

She didn't return the smile and simply nodded. "Yeah, whatever." She stood and quickly swept past Mikoto and out the door. She waited outside of the room and called after Sora impatiently "Are you coming or what?"

Sora smiled nervously and bowed to Mikoto. "Sorry we gotta leave you so soon."

Mikoto looked to him strangely and giggled. "No need to bow. Just because you are of an alien planet does not mean to need to act so formal."

Zidane's eye twitched. "Her lack in bad English still hurts my ears."

Sora laughed and quickly departed outside of the room before Aleisa became angrier.

"Ready?" Sora asked her nicely.

Aleisa rolled her eyes and followed a glowing path from the shops. "I've been ready. Let's go."

"I'll show you around," Zidane said, accompanying Sora from the small city and to a glowing mirror at the city's entrance. They stepped within inches of the portal and were pulled inward by gravity. They walked a short path forward to a spider web of a portal which preluded the same effect. Aleisa was glad that there were no more glowing blue lights.

"Glad that's over," she said as she stepped forward into a room filled with scrap machinery and weapons that were embroided into the ground. "Or not," she quickly corrected.

"This is Pandemonium," Zidane explained. "This was where Garland's hideaway was and he watched me on both Gaia and Terra. He wanted to turn me into a mindless Genome for fighting and destruction, just as he hoped to turn the others into."

"Are you calling them mindless?" Sora asked.

Zidane quickly shook his head. "No, they're not mindless. They are very intelligent, but lack fighting skills and the ability to perform Trance, a state of the body where emotions run high and cause a high adreneline rush during battle." Zidane shook his head. "My brother, Kuja, had the similar strength that I possess, but he only wanted to use it to kill everything in sight. That was what we were born for."

"What was that?" Sora asked.

"Destruction. That's why he called us mindless Genomes," Zidane added quietly. "He called us mindless killing machines because we were created to kill the people of Gaia. The people of Gaia were wasting our homeland away because the population of a corresponding planet must be less than or equal to the population of the primary planet."

"English?" Aleisa asked, annoyed.

"In other words, there were too many people on Gaia and they were sucking the life force from it, and thusly, sucking the life from Terra. That's why this planet looks so distraunt because the life is being sucked from it as we speak. We want to move the people from here, but they insist to live here, where they were born. It's a little difficult to convince them that they have meaning, seeing as they were put down and shamed all their lives, and they see me as such a great person."

Aleisa moved forward onto the scraped, rusted, machine path. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Moving on." She looked back to them. "We gotta get to Destiny's Island, don't we? Gotta find your friend, Sora!" She looked forward once more and ran ahead. Zidane blinked.

"She's changed since when I first met her." He looked to Sora. "You catching on to what's wrong with her, right?"

Sora scratched his head. "Uhm?"

Zidane sighed and threw up his arms in surrender. "Ah, you'll figure it out eventually." He ran ahead to catch up with Aleisa.

"Figure what out..?" Sora asked himself. 


	23. Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness

Sora hesitantly walked across the trashed ground of scrap metal that was pounded into the earth below his feet. Zidane simply hopped across each and every way, quickly trying to catch up with Aleisa who didn't seem to care where she stepped. Zidane obviously knew his way around here.

Sora found himself on the other side of the Pandemonium and safely on firm ground. He quickly followed Zidane up a flight of stairs as Zidane challenged his speed after Aleisa. What's wrong with her? Sora kept questioning himself.

As they passed through a narrow hallway, a rusted, metal shaft closed over their entrance and exit. Sora jumped, and turned to see that Zidane obviously did not hear them being closed in. He glanced back and forth between the entrance and hallway that slanted at a thirty degree angle as it approached a room of glowing mushroom shaped boles.

Aleisa made her way past the glowing enigma of blue light. If activated inadequately, a fiend would appear. Aleisa found her way through the puzzle and onto the glowing bridge ahead.

"It's a trap," Zidane said, quickly steering way of the glowing shrooms. "Try not to get around the-"

Sora lost his balance on the uneven floor and fell overtop a bole. Zidane blinked.

"Lights..?" Sora said as he looked up to a large, flying creature with a misfigured face and sharp talons. It raised it's claws to strike at Sora's face when Zidane jumped atop of it and stabbed it in the back with his dagger.

"Go!" he shouted to Sora as the blade pierced through the fiend's flesh. "You gotta catch up to her!"

Sora squeezed around the fiend and ran ahead for the bridge that began to dissipate. He heard Zidane's voice trail behind and stopped to see a pendant fly through the air. He caught it seconds before it fell to the hard ground below and shattered.

"Follow her to the end of Pandemonium and insert those in the cavities." Zidane struck his second dagger into the fiend's face and it cried out in pain. "Hurry," Zidane added, and whilst distracted, looking to Sora, the fiend swiftly knocked him to Sora's side and nearly over the cliff where the bridge illuminated.

"Zidane!" Sora yelled, and knelled to his side. Zidane struggled to his feet.

"Don't worry about me," he said, wiping away a trickle of blood from his lip. "I'll take care of him." He charged in at the fiend again, and Sora saw that the bridge had almost completely disappeared. He sprinted most of the way and as the bridge glew a bright red a moment before complete dissipation, he jumped and clinged to the edge of the cliff. He felt his ribs take the blow as his torso pounded into the cliff side, and he cried out in pain. He struggled over the edge and knelled for a moment to catch the wind that was knocked from him.

He jogged and held his side as he heard echoing footsteps up the climbing cliffs over his head. He quickly ran onto a transporter, and activated each from cliff side to cliff side. He walked past a small moogle who flew up in a panic.

"Where are you going, kupo! There's danger in yonder!" it chirped frantically.

"My friend's in there," Sora said, wincing as he stopped for the break.

"But something's wrong, kupo! She was acting very strange, kupo!"

"She's just mad cause I mentioned another girl friend of mine, and she's probably jealous." He looked up and towards the light that shown at the end of the long cave ahead. "Now, lemme pass."

The small moogle refused to move, it's pompom in a puff. "No! It's too dangerous, kupopo!"

Sora swiftly moved past the moogle. "I don't have time for this!" he said, and stomped forward into the caverns. At the end of the dark hall, he saw Aleisa standing at the end of a cliff, where several indentions in a single stone floated in the air in front of her. Her back was turned on him.

"Aleisa, you got the other two stones, right?" Sora said, walking closer to her.

When Sora walked close enough to clearly see Aleisa's face, her eyes were no longer green, but blue. Her hair began to turn a reddish tint, and Sora jumped back when he saw how closely she started looking like Kairi. Her face was in a blank stare.

"Kairi..I mean, Aleisa?"

Aleisa smiled. "Wrong," she said in a hollow voice. Her facial structure began to physically change, and a phantom with red hair and a black trench coat arose from her body. Sora ran to her as her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell to the ground. Sora held her in his arms and looked up to her the floating young man.

"Who are you!" he demanded.

This young boy refused his question. "Some call me a Heartless in the shape of a human. Technically, I'm a former keyblade wielder who craved power and my soul has become that of a Heartless."

Sora's eyes of anger turned to anxiety. "I'm not the only keyblade wielder?"

He looked down to Aleisa. "She was jealous of her own sister. Jealous that you liked Kairi instead of her, and that jealousy and envy turned to hatred. Her heart became dark." He smirked. "Which is where I came in. I possessed her to come this far. That is why her physical speed surpassed even that of Zidane."

"Answer me! Are you the only other keyblade wielder!" Sora shouted.

The boy's smile faded. "No, there is someone else you know very well who is also a keyblade wielder." He floated overtop Aleisa and looked down to her. "There is also someone who knows Kairi very well and is a keyblade wielder. He just isn't aware of it yet. Ones heart does not have to be pure to be a keyblade wielder." He looked to Sora and grinned. "He will soon become a keyblade wielder because of your intentions."

"What do you mean? How do you know all of this? Who are you!" Sora asked.

"I was called Axel," he said, closing his eyes and flicking his long bangs away from his forehead. With this, a dark plasma engulfed him and he disappeared. 


	24. Entering Darkness

Entering Darkness

Sora looked to Aleisa who still lied unconcious on the ground at his feet, then glanced to the floating marble of indentions to his left. He walked to the end of the cliff where it hung after removing the two crystal earrings from Aleisa's pocket and inserted them and the pendant into the center cavity one by one.

The sky turned dark. What was the blue lights that shone in the distance under the pink sky had all turned to a dirty gray, then a deep black. He backed from the stone as is disappeared with the shining crystals inserted, and a small portal of light grew larger into a silver embroidered door the color of lavender. Knelling to Aleisa's side, he heaved her onto his back and slowly pulled open the door when he heard a familiar squeal.

"Sora!" it called, and he turned to see Donald's beak pressing out of a black hole that floated in the air. He was forced ahead by Goofy, and all four of them fell forward into the unknown darkness beyond the large door. When they had pressed through inside, the doors slammed behind them and disappeared.

"Aleisa?" Goofy said as he helped Sora off of the ground, Aleisa left motionless, lying there.

"What happened to her?" Donald said. He shook his head, and looked to Sora. "Hey, you tried to leave us behind!"

"How did you get here?" Sora asked with wide eyes.

"The portal from Balamb Garden sent us into a dark place," Goofy explained. "There was some unknown cloaked guy who showed us the way through the darkness. He was the only one who could see in it."

"You don't think it's..?" Sora started.

"Don't worry, it's not Ansem," Donald reassured. "Or at least, I don't think it was. He wasn't speaking in riddles and it didn't sound like him."

"Why do you seem so worried, Sora? He's gone, remember?" Goofy said.

"I saw a cloaked man on Gaia, or at least, I thought I did, but when I turned to confront him, he disappeared."

"I don't think he's gonna show back up," Goofy chuckled.

"You're avoiding my question, Sora!" Donald quacked. "Why did you leave us!"

"You were getting in my way," Sora admitted sternly.

"Told ya," Goofy whispered to Donald.

"Aw, shut up," Donald said, pressing Goofy's big nose away from his face. "We have to follow the keyblade wielder! That was the King's orders! Haven't you forgotten? You could've put yourself in danger!"

"I don't wanna be the keyblade wielder anymore!" Sora cried. "There are others to take care of that job for me!"

"Others..?" Goofy said quietly.

"What are you babbling about now?" Donald asked.

"Some red headed guy said that he was a former keyblade wielder. He said there's someone I know who is a keyblade wielder and.. someone Kairi knows?"

"You think Aleisa might know who it is if Kairi knows who he is?" Donald asked.

"I dunno," Sora replied, "but I doubt it. They've been away from each other for many years, remember?" Sora stared off into the darkness. "But what worries me is that Riku, Kairi, and I were the only ones on that island. Well, there was Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka, as well."

"But why would he say that it was someone only Kairi knew and not either of you knew?" Donald questioned.

"He didn't say that only Kairi knew him, but-"

"How do you know it's a guy?" Goofy said.

"I doubt it's a girl, Goofy," Donald answered, frowning.

Sora scratched his head. "Yeah, sorry to say, but I don't think girls have the strength." Sora paused. "He mentioned that the one Kairi knows is unpure, or he said something of the sort. Wakka and Tidus were good people, right?"

"So who does that leave?" Goofy asked himself.

"Remember that people are often moved to other worlds after a Heartless attack?" Sora heard someone say. He looked down to Aleisa as she sat up. "Kairi was moved to your island after the Heartless came, right?" She slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them. She blinked. "Where are we?"

"Are you okay, Aleisa?" Donald asked.

Aleisa's eyes widened. "How did you guys get back?" She looked around in the darkness. "Where are we?"

"Kingdom Hearts," answered a voice that trailed off not far from them.

"Who's there?" Sora asked, swinging out his keyblade. In the distance, a light emitted from a door that opened slowly. Was this indeed Kingdom Hearts? In front of the light between the crack was a figure dressed in a dark cloak.

"Axel?" Sora asked, holding his keyblade firmly.

The figure laughed. "You're so naive. You always have been." It walked closer and the doors from behind flew open. The endless room of darkness illuminated and the figure fell to his knees to cover his face from the light. "Ah, damn it!" he yelped.

"Who are you?" Aleisa asked.

The hooded man looked up to Aleisa, whose eyes were wide with fear. He gasped. "Kairi?"

"Stay away from Aleisa," Sora said, moving at front to guard her.

The young man frowned. "So, the rumor is true."

"Are you one of the keyblade wielders?" Goofy asked.

He smirked. "Actually, I am." He held out his arm and a sharp, mauve colored keyblade fell into his hand. He swung it to his front. "Where is Kairi?" he asked.

"Why do you wanna know?" Sora challenged.

"Fool. I'm going to the same destination as you." By this time, the light from Kingdom Hearts had dimmed down, and the cloaked man removed his hood. Long, silver locks of hair fell to his shoulders, and he removed a blindfold that had been suppressing his blue eyes.

When Sora saw his face, his jaw dropped, as well as the keyblade in his hand. 


	25. Karma

Karma 

"Riku!" Sora cried as he ran for the young cloaked figure. Riku didn't welcome his embrace.

"Sora, stop," Riku replied.

"What's up with you, Riku? I haven't seen you in a year and you don't want me to hug you? What, you think hugging is still rather girly?" Sora joked.

But Riku did not laugh, nor smile. "Sora, I've come to warn you about your destiny."

"My destiny?" Sora asked quietly.

"Remember what Axel told you?"

"Wait, how do you know Axel? Who was he, anyways?"

"Axel belongs to a clan of keyblade wielders called the Unknowns."

"So he was serious about there being more than one keyblade wielder?"

"Look at my hand, fool," Riku stated. He looked down at the sharp, mauve keyblade in his hand.

"But you received that power by way of Maleficent. Why do you still have that keyblade?"

"You don't understand, Sora. Are you not catching on to what I say?" Riku replied irritably.

"Are.. are you saying that you are a part of the Unknowns?" Aleisa asked.

"Say what?" Sora said, looking back to Aleisa.

"I'm afraid she's right, Sora. I've been in the darkness of Kingdom Hearts for so long that I had no choice but to give myself to the Darkness."

"But you can free yourself from that, Riku! I've come to help you and take you back!"

"I cannot be changed!" Riku shouted. He paused and lowered his head. "I've come to tell you about your destiny."

"What destiny?" Donald asked.

"What Axel said was true. What you do determines whether some people will become keyblade wielders. There is one on Destiny's Island who is to become a keyblade wielder."

"He mentioned that, but who!" Sora replied. "Who on Destiny's Island could become one? Do you know?"

"If I knew him personally, I could tell you. All that I know is that you and he are more similar than you may believe."

"So neither you nor I know who he is?"

"You'll encounter him soon, Sora."

"So what do I do? What are my options?"

"If you open Kingdom Hearts to move further into the next galaxy, the Heartless will pour into other worlds, thusly putting many lives at stake, including Kairi's, and another keyblade wielder will be born."

"And if I refuse to go?"

"You well know the answer to that question, Sora," Riku said, "but you don't want to accept it. You won't be able to see Kairi, obviously, if you can't get to her."

"But I do!"

"But you will also be putting her at stake if you try and find her."

"Argh, why is there always so much damn pressure on me!" Sora screamed.

"Sora, calm down," Goofy said. "There's no rush."

"So, basically, I'm in a lose-lose situation?" Sora challenged.

"No. The keyblade wielders that exist as of now will form a party and break past the bonds of the doors to other worlds. The worlds will not have to be connected. They will take them out, one by one, each star fading after the last, but if the worlds are disconnected, they cannot be saved by merely one keyblade wielder alone." He paused. "You have to stop them before this happens. That is your destiny."

"Bad things will happen at first," Aleisa asked herself aloud," but then.."

"Yes," Riku finished, "it is for the better of the Universe."

"But why do they want to destroy the worlds?" Sora asked.

"They will feed off of the small worlds first, such as Destiny's Island, which is why Kairi is at a great risk. From there, the remaining worlds will fall under Tyranny and Dictation."

"So, you're in not as bad a pickle as you thought," Goofy chuckled.

"The door is just ahead," Riku said. "Choose your path, but just remember, Sora," he added, "I care about Kairi, too, whether I have a heart of Darkness or not."

"Will I ever see you again, Riku?" Sora asked.

"You will, but not as you would see fit."

"What do you mean?"

"Sora, your heart is of light, more than you may realize. Surely, since you know Kairi is the Queen of Hearts that a King lingers elsewhere?"

Sora blinked. "Wait, what-" Before he could finish his sentence, Riku faded within the darkness, and the light beyond Kingdom Hearts illuminated brighter. He slowly made his way for the large doors, and gawked at up them to a large keyhole.

"You ready, Sora?" Aleisa asked.

He nodded. "I'm ready." He swung his keyblade ahead of him, and a beam of white light flashed from it and into the keyhole. There was a loud click of something unlocking, and the doors swung open slowly. The bright light that had been concealed within the room beyond chased away the darkness, then faded. All was left in a gloomy gray.

At the other side of the room, a dark portal in the ground hemmed in a purple glow gurgled softly. Sora walked near it, looked to Goofy, Donald, and Aleisa, then nodded. Frightened, Aleisa grabbed Sora's hand. He smiled, taking Goofy in his other, Donald in Goofy's, and they jumped into the great unknown.

* * *

Kairi stood at the Island shores, retrieving small fish her mother requested to catch, and not having much luck. She looked down into the clear waters for any local fish to swim by and saw the reflection of dark clouds hover over the sun in the reflection. She looked up and to the dark sky that had completely concealed the sun. A large ball of orange and purple energy floated in the sky, and ominous clouds drifted around it much like a hurricane.

"Not again," Kairi whispered, recalling back to one year ago.


	26. Confusion

Confusion 

"What's happening to the skies?" squeaked little Magnolia when she stared up into the darkness. She was frightened by the sphere that threateningly hovered over the island.

"Magnolia!" shouted Navani from behind. She turned to face him.

"Navani! Where's Cheisu? Where's Kairi? What's going on?" she rambled.

"I dunno. I've never seen anything like this before," Navani replied.

"I'm scurred," Magnolia shivered, clinging to Navani's side. "What do we do?"

"Come on, now, chin up and eyes forward," he said sternly. "We gotta go find Kairi and Cheisu. They may well be in danger."

"Okie dokies," Magnolia said, and skipped along behind Navani as he ascended the nearby ladder for the straw home ahead. He turned the corner to find Cheisu facing away from both of them at the opposite wall and knelled to the floor.

"Cheisu, have you seen-" Navani started.

"Get away from me!" he screamed. "Ah, my head! It's throbbing! It's aching!"

"You're just freaking out, Cheisu," Magnolia declared. "It's okay to be scared-"

"I'm not scared, Magnolia! Something's just weirding me out!" he replied.

"Cheisu?" Navani asked. He walked closer and quickly stepped back when he felt an aura of danger surrounding Cheisu. His hair began to turn a lighter shade of brown, then to an ash blonde.

"What's happening?" Magnolia whispered. She ventured closer to Cheisu. "Cheisu?" she asked as she touched his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" he screamed, and she saw his eyes had flashed a blood red when he turned to face her. She screamed, but her shrill was shortened when her face turned pale and she fell straight back like a board onto the wooden floor. A pink light shone from her chest then faded into darkness.

"Magnolia!" Navani screamed. He ran for her and picked her up in his arms. He shook her, but she wouldn't awake.

"What is this?" Navani heard Cheisu say. Navani snapped his eyes warily back to Cheisu who was holding a sword in the shape of a large key in his hand.

"Where-" Navani started.

"Navani!" a voice called onto the shore. Navani left from the shelter and into the thrashing wind and rain to see Kairi standing on the violent shores, her hair in a fray and holding her arms in the chilling air, frightened.

"Kairi!" Navani shouted past the monsoon.

"Kairi?" Cheisu asked, and swept past Navani. "Out of my way, knave!"

"Where are you going?" Navani shouted after him.

"We gotta get outta here. You coming or not?" Cheisu answered.

"But he's having moodswings," Navani whispered. He looked down to Magnolia, who was still wrapped in his arms. "But if I don't go with him, Kairi may be in danger."

He followed Cheisu to the end of the dock after descending from the ladder with Magnolia clutched around his back.

"Where to now?" Cheisu asked.

"I have a pretty good idea," Kairi said, and fled from them towards the secret hideout. "Follow me."

They followed her to the secret hole buried behind the waterfall and into a long, damp cave. The door which was imprinted into the rock was now glowing a faint fuchsia.

"It's glowing," Navani observed.

Cheisu felt his hand waver out of control and found himself pointing this strange weapon, the key, towards a small keyhole that was glowing a royal blue. A dark beam emitted from the tip and poured into the keyhole. The door unlocked.

"Weird," Cheisu said, grinning and swinging around his new toy to show it off.

"Shall we?" Kairi said, hesitant about what may be on the other side. She turned and knob and stepped through into darkness, Cheisu following, and Navani, Magnolia unconscious in his arms.

* * *

"Woo boy," Sora said as he stepped through the large double doors and into a familiar town. Traverse Town.

"Where are we?" Aleisa asked.

"Traverse Town," Donald answered. "Does this mean we're in the wrong galaxy?"

Sora sighed. "I dunno. I just know I couldn't find Destiny's Island when I traveled in this Galaxy via the Gummi Ship."

"Gummi Ship..?" Aleisa asked, confused.

"Maybe we can have a professional build the Gummi Ship for us. After all, can't ya build one block by block?" asked Donald.

"Of course ya can. Done is many times before," said a gruff voice that trailed not too far behind them.

"Cid?" Sora asked. He turned to face the familiar old bag.

"Why, of course! You didn't think I wouldn't help you along if the chance arose, did ya?"

"So, if you're here, then that means the worlds really are connected?" Sora asked.

"Shoot, yeah! When I noticed a distortion whereas more fiends, or Heartless, started arising, I figured the worlds were connected again. Traverse Town is your primary town in this Galaxy. Most likely, you'd end up here first after passing the Squaresoft Galaxy."

"Are the others coming, too?"

"Dunno. I reckon if they got a way to get here, they might. If Leon and his gang can get here with the Ragnorak, that'd be great. Same applies to the Summoner from Spira and the Celcius, and Zidane with the Invincible."

"How do you know about all of these ships?"

"I engineered the blueprint for the Ragnorak and Invincible! The Celcius was developed under Cid! It's a name given to us geniuses, afterall."

"Can you guys talk later?" Donald quacked impatiently. "We need a Gummi Ship to find Kairi!"

"Don't forget, Donald. We gotta also find the King," Goofy added.

Donald sighed heavily. "Boy, this is gonna be fun."


	27. Confrontation

Confrontation 

As Sora ran ahead of the world gates of Traverse Town and for Cid's Accessory Shop, the doors from behind swung open. Aleisa, Donald, and Goofy had followed behind Cid to see his plans and blueprint for the Gummi Ship to be built, but Sora lingered behind to see the newcomer.

"Good to see you again," a high voice called. "It's me, Kairi."

"No, you're not," Sora laughed, joining Yuffie at the door. "How have you been?"

"Same old, same old," she said with a smile, then looked to the ground. "Sorry I yelled at you earlier. I didn't mean to sound so harsh"

"It was understandable," Sora explained. "Aeris was a close friend, and she"

Yuffie shook her head and smiled. "Don't bring up the past. What's in the past is in the past. You gotta look forward to tomorrow, you know?"

Sora smiled. "Say, why are you here, Yuffie?"

"Cid was off in a hurry when he noticed that there were more fiends that usual prowling around Midgar. I decided to sneak onboard."

"He has a ship?"

"Yes, but it couldn't take you to Destiny's Island. Where you're going may be either very near or far, so we're not going to risk an overload to take that thing into space. It could go about one Galaxy over, and that's it. Of course, the Squaresoft Galaxy isn't far from"

"Are you still nagging, Yuffie?" a voice called from behind her.

"Leon! How ya been?" Yuffie squealed.

Leon flipped a strand of hair from his eyes and smiled. "I've been okay. How did you get here? Why did you come?"

"The same reason you did, right?"

"Huh?" Sora said, scratching his head.

"She's right, Sora. We came to see you."

"But why?" Sora asked.

"Why do you think he was so depressed when you first met him?" Yuffie said. "He was away from Rinoa for so long and feared he may never see her again."

"Yeah, I have a lot to owe to you," Leon said with a smile.

"Don't worry about it," Sora added. He frowned. "Squall, I meant to ask you something."

"Am I suddenly a database of intelligence?" he said with a smirk.

"Well, you seemed very knowledgeable about the situation. How did Kingdom Hearts open in the first place? Has this been the first time?"

"As far as I can remember, it has," Yuffie said.

"Same here," Leon added.

"You think Cid may know about it? He has more years than we have, afterall," Yuffie snickered.

"Cid's here, too?" Leon asked.

"Let's join with him and everyone inside," Sora confirmed.

* * *

"Nope, can't say I remember anything like this happening before," Cid answered.

"So what does this mean?" Aleisa asked.

"I'm figuring it's getting near the end of all time," Leon said.

"What are you babbling about now, Squall?" Yuffie asked.

"My sister lives on Spira. Their punishment for sin was.. Sin."

"Eh?" Aleisa said.

"You never saw such the thing," Leon told Aleisa. "Sin was destroyed by Yuna when you arrived, and that's how Paine came to learn of her. To learn of the summoners. Paine.. no longer lives in our world, but on Spira now."

"So you're saying that Kingdom Hearts is our punishment?" Cid asked.

"But why hasn't it been active until now?" Donald quacked.

"Like I said," Leon continued, "it may well be coming near the end of ages. Of course, everything inevitably dies in the end, including planets, Galaxies, Universes. However, we can slow down our fate."

"How is Kingdom Hearts so bad?" Goofy asked. "It just kinda floated around in nowheres forever."

"There has always been darkness behind Kingdom Hearts, but something erupted it," Leon concluded. "There is no such thing as pure light. Darkness, a shadow, cannot be created without light."

"Which explains the existence of the Shadow Heartless," Yuffie said.

Leon nodded. "All Heartless are the same. They live within the shadows of Kingdom Hearts."

"So, if there's no Kingdom Hearts" Donald started.

"Then there's no shadows, no Heartless!" Aleisa screeched.

"Exactly," Leon nodded.

"But how do you get rid of a place like that?" Goofy asked.

"You cannot use darkness to consume light. Light cannot be completely dispersed. Darkness will only dim the light."

"Uhm, so you're saying that one should fight with.. light?" Aleisa asked, scratching her head.

"Someone understands Leon?" Yuffie asked.

"She's right," Leon stated. "Only purity can stop a sin."

"What about Kairi? Wasn't her heart pure?" Yuffie quipped.

"Yes, but her heart could not do it alone. Why do you think she is called the Queen of Hearts?" Leon replied.

"Wait, Riku!" Sora blurted.

"You saw Riku!" Yuffie shouted.

"Yeah, but then he disappeared. Anyways, he said 'If there is a Queen of Hearts, then surely you know that a King exists elsewhere?'"

"What if King Mickey is the King of Hearts?" Goofy asked.

"It has to be someone who has lived humbly," Cid said.

"He is humble, he just lives in a big castle!" Donald yelled.

"Whoever it is, it seems we're now looking for three objectives: Kairi, King Mickey, and the King of Hearts." Aleisa said.

"What about the keyblade?" Yuffie asked.

"what about it?" Sora said.

"Only he of either a pure or dark heart can aquire a keyblade."

"Yuffie, don't tell me you think I'm the King of Hearts?" Sora said frowning.

Yuffie grinned and nodded.

"You're insane! I'm just as human as anyone else, just as normal!"

"But Kairi was just normal too, was she not?" Leon said.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Puh-lease. You guys are being ridiculous."

"Why do you think your island exists? It existed before Kairi came along. Survival of the fittest. Your planet exists because of you."

"Now, quit assuming things!" Sora shouted.

"Alright, shaddup!" Cid yelled. "Let's not jump to conclusions. You're all rushing ahead too quickly." He looked to Leon. "Did you come here with the Ragnorak?"

"Yeah," Leon said quietly.

"Then I don't need to be making no ship. That one will work just fine," Cid concluded.

"Shall we be leaving, then?" Yuffie said, heading for the door.

"Sure," Sora replied, but he felt rather tense that he may have more pressure on himself than he may have realized.


	28. The Unknowns

The Unknowns 

"So, Riku, where is this new keyblade wielder that you spoke of?" Axel asked. "You gave my message to the wielder. I didn't expect you to be so thorough, though."

"I wasn't so thorough," Riku quipped. "I didn't know who was gonna be the new wielder. I wasn't helping him along. Besides, you also told him that there was going to be another."

"Fool, you don't understand, do you? You made it more specific that there was danger. You came right out and said that you were of the Unknowns. The Darkness. Now he knows his destiny."

"Is one not supposed to search for his destiny?" Riku asked.

"Why are you helping that boy?"

"He's an old friend."

"You have no friends, Riku," Axel shouted. "You belong to the Unknowns. You have completely turned your heart over to the Darkness."

"And if I haven't?" Riku asked, closing his eyes.

"You know the consequences," Axel said with a snarl. "One can only be of pure Darkness or be craving Darkness. If you are in between like the fools that Maleficent hired, your heart will be in danger to the Heartless. You must be of pure evil to control the Heartless."

"I don't want to harm him, I'm wanting to see how far he goes."

"And then retrieve the girl?" Axel asked.

"Well, we need Kairi's assistance either way, do we not?" He pushed himself away from the wall and opened his eyes. "As well as Sora's. We need to open the door to Kingdom Hearts."

"Has it already not been opened?"

"Well, sure, but Kingdom Hearts would be no more. There would be no doors, that is. Nothing to hold back the Darkness. Then the Tyranny would begin. That's your plan, isn't it?"

"Exactly. I was checking you on your knowledge."

Riku rolled his eyes. They stood on the tall roof on the Accessory Shop, concealed behind the shadows of the roaring chimney and smoke that it bellowed. Riku heard the doors open and watched Sora, Goofy, Aleisa, Donald, and Leon head for the World Doors. "What about the Newcomer?"

"That blonde boy? The keyblade wielder?"

"I've watched him," Riku admitted. "He worries me. He has a lot of lust towards Kairi."

"That's how his heart is darkened. We hold Kairi for hostage and he'll work with us."

Riku's eyebrows raised. "Kairi wouldn't be in any danger, would she?"

"Was she in danger when the door was opened in Hollow Bastion?"

"No, not that I know of. The Seven Princesses of Heart opened the final door to the end of the Galaxy, but it won't work that way for Kingdom Hearts."

"I know. Why do you think the doors are called 'Kingdom Hearts'?"

Riku did not respond as he watched Sora close the World Doors after him. "Will Sora be in danger?"

"Not if he cooperates."

Riku laughed. "You're acting as though he will."

"I know he's going to struggle. It's his call. He wouldn't put Kairi in danger, would he?"

Riku was silent for a moment. "You had better not put Kairi in danger."

Axel shrugged. "We'll see." He disappeared into a dark void, and Riku followed closely behind.

* * *

Kairi opened her eyes, her head spinning, and her vision fuzzy at first. She had collapsed on a set of stairs, it seemed, and when in view, she saw many shelves of books scattered among the room. A tall chandelier towered above her head and radiated in the sunlight that poured in through the stained-glass windows scattered along the walls.

"Hollow Bastion..?" she asked standing. She regained her balance and ascended the staircase to gaze around at the slightly familiar room.

"Grandma," she whispered. "She used to tell stories to me here. She told me about the Abyss. Where the people of Darkness lived," she recalled. "I wonder if she was right?" she asked herself. Suddenly, she felt a strange aura. An aura of danger near.

She panicked and ran for the door. Before reaching the handles, the doors flew open. She covered her face, then opened her eyes to an apparition that floated above her. He wore a sinister grin and had bright, red hair.

"Kairi, I assume?" he asked.

She wore a blank stare and stood there frightened. Out of fear, she fainted. Axel caught her before she fell to the ground.

"Now I have half of the problem in my hands. Time for phase two."

* * *

(Sorry this is rather short. I'm coming across a brain fart or Writer's Block or something.) 


	29. New Assailant

A New Assailant 

"Someone, anyone! I need help!" Navani cried as he pressed through the large, main double doors of the Hollow Bastion Castle. "What happened?" he asked, collapsing to his knees with Magnolia in his arms still, her eyes still closed. "Magnolia, what happened to you?" he asked.

"Hello? Anyone there?" a female voice called in the distance.

Navani looked up from the ground. "Yes, please help!"

A pale face shone in the distance atop the circular steps that descended from either side of a menacing fountain ahead of dark double doors. She flipped back a strand of hair. "Who are you?"

"Kairi?" Navani called. "Are you okay?"

"You know Kairi!"

"Who are you? You're not Kairi?"

She stepped into the light and smiled. "My name's Aleisa, Kairi's sister."

Navani's jaw dropped. "Y-you.." he studdered.

Aleisa's eyes perked up. "Hey, you were my neighbor, weren't you? Glad to see a familiar face!"

"You actually noticed me?"

"Sure. You tried peeking in through my windows all the time," she snickered.

Navani scratched his head, then frowned and looked to Magnolia. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"

Aleisa knelled to Magnolia's side. "What happened to her?"

"The island I came from was swallowed into Darkness. A friend of mine freaked out and she's been out since."

"Think she's just passed out?"

"It may be more, but I'm not sure what."

Aleisa looked past Navani's long, dark bangs, and into his eyes. "You know Kairi?"

"Yes, she's here somewhere. I didn't know neither you nor her had a sister."

She grinned. "Now ya do."

"But why wasn't she with you?"

"Dunno. We've been separated since just about birth. She just disappeared one day. Our Nana said it was because she was special." Aleisa shrugged and rolled her eyes. She smiled. "But yeah, she's here somewhere?"

"Where did you come from?" Navani asked.

"I came here with my friends Donald, Goofy, Sora"

"Sora! You know him?"

"You mean you do, too? This is such a small Universe."

"Kairi talked about him all the time! We're going to have to reunite them!" Navani said excitedly, taking Aleisa's hands into his. He quickly pulled them away, then hid his glowing face.

"Where is she?" Aleisa asked.

"I dunno. Kairi, Cheisu, and I have been separated since we got here."

"You don't think she's in danger, do you? I don't remember much, but I know she easily got into trouble," Aleisa added.

"We need to get Sora up here," Navani said. "She was always saying how strong he was. We need him and the others to help find her and Cheisu." He looked down to Magnolia. "In the meantime, what can we do with her?"

"Leave her," a voice called in the echoing emptiness.

"Who's there?" Aleisa cried.

"Her heart will not awake," said a boy who faded from the shadows.

"You!" Aleisa screamed, recognizing Axel. "What are you doing here!"

Axel shrugged. "I am saying what is merely a fact. The new keyblade wielder's unpurity drained her heart from her. She will never once again awake."

"You're bluffing!" Navani shouted.

"I bluff you not," Axel said, sounding rather bored. "I have business to attend to with your friend. Chio," he said with a devilish smirk as he faded once again into the Darkness.

"Wait!" Navani shouted, running forward for the dark double doors.

"Hey, wait up!" Aleisa pouted as she followed behind.

* * *

"What did you do to her!" Cheisu shouted as he saw Kairi floating in an aura of colorful energy that kept her floating in a sleeping slumber. She lay at the top of a staircase ahead of the keyhole for a following Galaxy.

"Calm down, kid," Axel said, rolling his eyes under his closed eyelids. "She's not in any danger if you cooperate."

Cheisu turned to Axel and lifted his keyblade to strike. The weapon swept right through him.

"Are you just trying to piss me off?" Axel said, swaying away from the keyblade. He faded into a semi-molecular form, and then appeared human once more. Cheisu's jaw dropped and he fell backward.

"What do I have to do?" Cheisu asked, holding back his anger.

"I want you to kill this boy," Cheisu said, swirling his hand into a void and showing a projection of Sora, Goofy, and Donald nearing the Castle Gates.

"He.." Cheisu started.

"He looks strikingly similar to you, yes. I thought the same. We're hoping that will be your strongpoint in confusing him, perhaps." Axel looked to Riku, who had pulled his blindfold back over his eyes as well as his dark cape. He remained motionless and silent, leaned against the wall. "What do ya say?"

"I dunno," Cheisu said, looking to the ground.

"This is the boy Kairi likes," Axel added. "The one she constantly nagged on."

Cheisu looked to the ground, his eyes narrowing.

"You want him to win Kairi instead of you?" Axel added.

"No, I won't!" he screamed, and then smirked with anger still burning in his eyes. "No problem. I'll take care of him."

With this, he departed from Riku and Axel for the Castle Gates to meet with this stranger, and the doors slammed after him.

"I still have a bad feeling about this," Riku muttered.

"Don't worry, things will go according to plan."

"You know he can't kill Sora. We need Sora for"

"I know, I know! He's too weak. He might wear him down, and naturally, Sora will be drawn here," Axel explained. "I know what I'm doing. You think I'm gonna have such a vital role be killed? Please, Riku."

"Don't call me by my name," Riku grumbled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, what did you want to be called? Prince of Darkness?" Axel laughed and narrowly missed a blow from Riku. He smirked. "You seriously think you're going to harm me?" He laughed once more when he felt Riku's keyblade being forced into his chest. This time, he felt the pain.

What is" Axel said horsely as he watched the blade being stabbed into his heart.

"The power to unlock hearts," Riku merely said, and swiftly twisted the blade into Axel's chest. The sword pulled a black plasma, the Darkness, from Axel, and he faded into an abyss.

Riku swung his keyblade over his shoulder and headed for the double doors. This time, without Axel nagging at him.


	30. Showdown

Showdown 

"Where the heck did Aleisa run off to?" Sora asked as he stepped onto the floating stones that ascended over the limitless waterfalls and lakes.

"I dunno," Goofy said. "She seemed real excited about something."

"Why do you figure she was?" Donald asked.

"Sora," Squall called from behind. Sora stopped and turned to him before stepping onto the next hovering stone.

"Yeah?" Sora answered.

"Aleisa ran ahead while you were napping on the Ragnorak," Squall explained. "She said she felt a strong aura, but nothing bad."

"You don't think" Goofy started.

"Kairi?" Sora finished.

Squall shrugged. "Who knows? This is her birth place, after all. Or so, that's what I've heard."

"Thanks for the ride, Squall," Sora waved, and quickly stepped onto the next stone before it arose without his presense. He wanted to see if Kairi was, indeed, here.

At the end of the catwalk, he stepped forward under a set of golden gates and was transported, along with Goofy and Donald, to the front gates of the lavender Castle doors. High above the sky and clouds, Sora focused ahead, his heart pounded to see Kairi, but he also tried to ignore his fear of heights. He stepped forward into the double doors, whilst Donald and Goofy stayed behind. However, Goofy and Donald couldn't pass, as a force field repelled them.

"What the" Donald quacked.

Sora turned to them. "Hey, what the heck?" He backtracked to touch the invisible wall, finding himself unable to leave. He shrugged. "I'll be back shortly."

"Wait, Sora," Goofy started. "Doesn't this seem a little familiar?"

"Don't worry, everything's gonna be fine," Sora said with a smirk, and turned from them. He sprinted further into the labyrinths and past many grand rooms. He found himself at a stop point, the Keyhole to the next Galaxy. It illuminated brightly and swirled as a plasma of rainbow colors, a dark keyhole imprinted in the center. Six vales were lined along the walls. Sora remembered this is where the princesses had been imprisoned, where their souls were gone, but their hearts remained locked away.

Soon to be unlocked by Kairi's.

He ascended the stairs and for the keyhole at the end of the room. He gawked at it and looked around, expecting Kairi to be in his presense. He looked behind to a balcony out of reach, where Kairi, her eyes closed, was leaned against the now empty chest where he obtained Oblivion.

"Kairi!" he shouted.

He ran for the balcony and about to risk a jump when the slamming of the double doors stopped him in his tracks.

"Who's there?" he demanded, and ran to the end of the scaffold to see a young boy who had entered the room.

"I've been waiting a long time for you," he spoke.

"Who are you?" Sora asked, heading for the stairs cautiously.

"I am called.." He looked up to Sora, his blonde bangs hanging over his eyes, which were burning with anger. "..Cheisu. I'm assuming you are Sora."

Sora was a little hesitant to move at first. "How do you know me? Are you.."

"Don't be foolish," Cheisu scoffed. "We're not related. We just happen to look alike." Cheisu swung his keyblade from his side, and Sora backed from the doors. Cheisu smirked and headed for the stairs. "They say everyone has a counterpart, a dark side. Some have a personality such as this," he explained. "Then there's a time when that split difference is separated into two people. I suppose you can call me your evil twin." He paused. "But whose to say that I'm the evil one? You're depriving me of my treasure."

"What are you rambling about?" Sora warned, bringing his keyblade out front.

"So it seems that you are just like me. Riku said that only he of pure heart and he of pure Darkness can obtain a keyblade." He quickened his pace for the staircase. "Let's just see who is who."

"Wait, this is all about Kairi?" Sora asked.

"What are all of these riddles? Of course it is."

"Why fight over her? It's senseless!" Sora said.

"Are you calling her worthless?" Cheisu laughed. "You really don't care."

"Of course I do! Why do you think I've traveled this long to find"

"Shut it!" Cheisu yelled, wavering his keyblade towards Sora. "I protected her for a year when you left. Who mattered more? Riku or Kairi?"

"I had to save Riku! He's my friend!"

Cheisu slammed his keyblade against the hard ground, sending a piercing metallic "klank" into the air. There was silence for a moment. "Enough talk. We will see who is the better half!"

Cheisu picked up his blade and ran for Sora. Sora dodged quickly away from him and stabbed inward, but Cheisu had similar agility.

"So you care more about your friends than the one you love?" Cheisu challenged.

"I care about them both," Sora yelped, clanking his keyblade against Cheisu's.

"It matters not now," Cheisu said. "He who is pure will survive. There will only be on keyblade wielder!"

Cheisu swung up and backed down. He sprinted in for Sora, who high jumped over his head and performed a summersault in the air, kicking Cheisu onto the ground and on his face. He regained his balance and sprinted to his side. As Cheisu rolled over to push himself off the ground, he found Sora's blade pointed at his face, an inch from his nose.

"Back down," Sora threatened, panting from exhaustion.

Cheisu gritted his teeth and found his blade while staring into Sora's eyes. He swung upward, narrowly missing Sora's face, and used this distraction to regain his ground. He spun around and swung his blade aimlessly, but managed to nick Sora's arm. Sora gasped when he heard the material rip. He looked down to his bleeding arm. Cheisu had knelled for a moment to catch his breath.

* * *

Riku stood atop a gargoyle that was imprinted into the wall above the colorful keyhole and watched as both Sora and Cheisu had stopped dueling temporarily. His head throbbed and he felt the familiar aura of a Darkness that he had felt from one year ago.

"Leave me alone," Riku mumbled loudly.

"Look at that fool," a voice called in his mind. "He's doing the job too slowly. Finish off the boy and you'll have both hearts within your posession."

Riku removed his hands from his forehead, and his eyes began to glow a red tint. "Yes, sir," he said aloud.


	31. Reunited

Reunited

Sora and Cheisu were both knelled to the ground and gasping for air. Sora grinned. "You tired yet?"

Cheisu forced himself a breath and held it in to speak. "Yeah, right." Cheisu stood, as did Sora, alert. "You ready for some more?" Cheisu challenged.

Sora smirked. "I've been ready." With this, he charged in but quickly retreated several steps when a shadow from above fell into his path. Cheisu also backtracked and lost his footing, stopping in his tracks. He fell onto the ground, penetrating his elbow against the hard surface. He heard something crack but ignored it, frightened.

"Geez, Riku! What's your deal?" Cheisu asked. Riku did not move. His face was staring at the ground below. "Riku..?" Cheisu asked once more.

"Silence, fool," Riku whispered, raising his head. Behind his dark hood, Cheisu could see a pair of glowing, scarlet eyes and backed away for the balcony and stairs. He fled from the room whilst Sora stood at the other end, still oblivious.

"Riku, what's going on?" Sora asked. Riku turned his gaze to Sora, who was now looking into the lumious stare. He gasped.

"So it seems that you have defeated me before," Riku called, his voice hollow as Ansem's voice trailed into his own. "Fool! You think only the light of Kingdom Hearts had defeated my soul?"

"But how? I watched you fade away!" Sora cried.

"Ah, alas. You only saw my physical form fade away," Riku replied. "A spirit still remains and always will. This boys body will always be my own. Even if you rid of him, I will still remain."

"No, that can't be possible!" Sora yelled.

"An apparition has lifespan," Riku revealed. "Of course, I don't expect myself to reveal my weakness, either."

"Leave Riku alone! He's been through enough! Why do you want to do this, anyways?"

"You know not of my intentions? Ignorant boy, I've told you once, and again, I will. I want all the Darkness, pure Darkness!"

"But why? What's the point?"

"Are you really so naive? The world is coming to the end of ages as we speak. One day, the Universe will be no more. Why do you think Kingdom Hearts has just recently appeared? It was only inevitable that the Galaxies be distorted. You humans are too foul to repent for your sins. You cannot bring back the eternal light. Thusly, if you cannot repent with light, the opposite, Darkness, must be the answer."

"Explain, then," Sora quipped.

"There is so much crime, so much violence. Under my tyrancy, everyone will be the same. Live under the same Darkness. They won't be able to see. They're blind as of now, anyhow! Let's just add to the hole of the Enigma."

"I don't understand!" Sora cried.

"Of course you don't. You were not born to understand Darkness, violence, any blasphemy of the world. Your heart is too pure, much like that girl wouldn't understand," Riku said, looking to Kairi, who was still leaned against the wall on the balcony. "But come," Riku continued, looking back to Sora and holding out his hand. "If you follow me, I can show you the light, my tyranny, in the Darkness. It's much like Communism, but people are more the same. No more tears shed for being different. You will all be the same: blind, as more than you are now."

"You're speaking incoherently! How am I supposed to know that what you're saying isn't all a lie?" Sora challenged.

"What if the life you live now isn't a lie? You seem to believe it is."

Sora tensed up. "What do you mean?"

"Everything isn't as it seems. Your life is just a model, a fake. You were born merely for one purpose, unlike everyone who is born for many."

"I don't.." Sora whispered.

"Fool! You are the King of Hearts!" Riku shouted.

"It's not true!" Sora shouted back.

"Ah, but it is. Who is the only other keyblade wielder besides you with a pure heart?"

"The King. Donald's King," Sora said.

"King Mickey is a wielder of a keyblade, but he is not a Keyblade Wielder. Do you follow? He is a King of poverty. Those with money use power." He paused. "But you are the only natural pure keyblade wielder."

"Kairi?" a voice called at the other end of the room.

"Navani?" Kairi whispered. She opened her eyes slowly. "Where are you?" she asked, unaware of her surroundings and rubbing her eyes.

"The counterpart," Riku whispered.

"Huh?" Sora thought. He turned to face Navani then shifted his eyes to Riku to see that he had fallen to the floor. Sora hesitantly knelled to his side. "Riku?"

"Sora!" Kairi cried.

"Kairi! You're okay!" Sora grinned. He left Riku's side and ran for the end of the balcony by the staircase. Kairi jumped from the other side and into his arms. He collapsed under her fall and held her closely.

"Sora, I was so worried," she gasped, tears streaming from her eyes. Sora wiped away her tears that had fallen on his cheeks and pushed her away to look into her eyes. He smiled.

"It's okay, Kairi, I'm here now. I'm never letting you go again, okay?" He grinned and pulled her charm from his pocket. "I believe this is yours."

Kairi wiped her tears away and took back her charm, standing from Sora for only a moment to help him up, then returning to his side again, clung to his arm, tears still rolling from her eyes.

But Sora's attention was turned to Riku.

(I am so sorry, guys. I bet you're about to kill me, but I finally got another chapter up, didn't I? You better enjoy it.)


	32. Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, Decisions

"Sora, you know what you gotta do," Riku said, his eyes closed, his body aching as he lied in a bed on the Ragnorak.

"Riku? Are you okay?" Sora asked, walking to his side and from the door.

"Right?" Riku persisted.

"What do you mean I gotta do something?" Sora asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Sora, you heard Ansem," Riku said, keeping his eyes closed.

"Aye, Riku," Sora said, walking to Riku's side and prying his eye open. For a split second, he saw that Riku's eye was completely dialated, and hardly any eye white had shown. The color in his eyes, the soft blue as before, was now dark and dull. Riku pulled away and screamed.

"Damn you! Didn't I tell you that I couldn't be in the light?" Riku yelped.

"I'm so sorry, Riku," Sora said hasitily, and backed away from Riku, fearing he may swing at him.

"That's all the more reason that you have to do what you have to do," Riku said, turning over with his face in the pillow, tears streaming from his eyes. He was grasping his head as though he was suffering a migraine.

"I still don't get it," Sora said quietly.

"Sora," Riku began, "I cannot see. My vision of the light is completely gone. I cannot see light anymore. I can't live with you."

"But," Sora started.

"Listen to me," Riku continued, "Ansem lives within me. I'm temporaily able to control myself, but I dunno for how long. You have to get rid of the source from where the demon lives."

"Riku, that's why I left Kairi behind! I'm not calling you a nuisance, but I had to leave her to find you because you had locked yourself away in Kingdom Hearts!" Sora said.

"And so you must again. Only this time, you're closing the doors for good," Riku replied.

"But how? I've locked the doors before. How did they reopen?"

"Darkness can overcome certain obstacles, Sora," Riku answered. "But there is one true source of light that can close the doors for good. There is nothing more powerful than it."

"Sora, we're nearing our destination," Squall said, stepping into the room for only a short while. He then left for the control room.

"Where are we going?" Sora called after Squall.

"Kairi will know what I mean if you're confused, Sora. I think you know, too. She's just more knowledgable," Riku said. He turned over and rested his arm to keep the light from his eyes and smiled. He groped for a bandana that was hung across the dresser at his side and wrapped it several times over his eyes. He stood and followed Squall to the control room.

"Here we are," Squall said as Sora walked into the room after Riku. Riku kept his gaze away from everyone and seemed to stare off into the distance. His bandana was absorbing his tears.

"What's going on?" asked Kairi, who stepped in shortly after and walked to Sora's side. She leaned on his shoulder and smiled, then looked to Riku, noticing his crying. She frowned. "Riku?"

"Let's finish this," Riku said, heading for the exit as he felt the ship jolt in the Darkness they were engulfed in.

The Ragnorak landed on a large mass of land that floated in space, as other land floated in a sea of mauve nothingness beyond them, yet, it could be walked on. This was the End of the World. Walking the long distance for the lavender double doors that towered above, Sora felt his heart drop as though he began to realize Riku's intentions.

Through the double doors was a dark path to Kingdom Hearts, which were outlined in a silver glow. Riku headed for the doors and tried his luck at forcing them open.

"Riku, wait!" Sora cried. "I'm not letting you go again!"

"Sora," Riku said, stepping away from the doors and looking back to him. "If you completely lock Kingdom Hearts, all evil of this world will be gone. I have given my heart to the Darkness. If I stand here while you lock the doors away, I will slowly die right before your eyes. Also, Ansem's spirit must be rid of for good. It must be sent into the Abyss or his spirit will always return."

"But Riku," Kairi said.

Riku frowned, tears streaming from his eyes again. "Kairi, I love you."

Kairi gasped, and looked to Sora, then lowered her head. "Riku, you don't have to.."

"I don't want this demon hurting you, Kairi. I can't let my feelings interfere with you and Sora. You're the King and Queen of Hearts afterall. I can't let the Prince of Darkness harm you," Riku said, snarling slightly that he was admitting his own path. He turned from them and pulled back one of the doors with much force. He stepped into the crack and beyond into the plasmic Darkness. "Tell her, Sora."

Sora sighed, and looked to Kairi. "Riku said there is only one true source of light that can stop Darkness. Nothing is more powerful."

Kairi gasped slightly. "Do you feel..?"

Sora blinked. "Do I feel what?"

Riku smiled. "Trust me, Kairi. He does."

Kairi looked to the ground, her face flushed. She took Sora's hand into her own and looked into his deep, blue eyes. She pressed his hand against her face and swiftly moved closer to his. She moved her hands to his waist and pulled him closer into a passionate kiss. Sora panicked at first, but moved his hands to her sides and joined her in the most powerful source of light against Darkness: love.

Sora's keyblade levitated from his hand and the doors of Kingdom Hearts began to close. Riku removed his bandana from his eyes and bid one last smile to the two, and the doors slammed ahead of him. The large keyhole glew a pure white light and everyone shielded their eyes. When they looked again, the doors were no more. The Darkness was no more. They had found themselves in a place beyond the Darkness, in an infinite meadow of flowers.

But although the door was locked away, Kairi and Sora were still embraced in this kiss.

(Nope, not finished, but I hope you liked this chapter '.'!)


	33. Segregation

Segregation

"Magnolia, you okay?"

Magnolia opened her eyes to the bright sun that glared overhead, and she shielded her eyes at first until they adjusted to the bright light, the salty smell, the scorching heat.

"What happened?" Magnolia asked, wadding into the warm, white sands on the shore.

Navani smiled. "It's nothing. You just bumped your head is all. A bad dream, if you may."

Magnolia scratched her head. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Well, a good while," Navani admitted. "You haven't met our new guests."

"Huh? Who?" Magnolia asked, looking past Navani. She saw "Kairi" standing barefoot in the sand and pressing her toes into the heat of it. She raised her head and smiled.

"My name's Aleisa," Aleisa said, knelling down next to Navani. "I'm Kairi's sister."

"I guessed as much," Magnolia said with a sheepish grin on her face. "I didn't know Kairi had a sister."

"It's a long story," Navani said, pulling Aleisa to his side. Magnolia rolled her eyes.

"Love is in the air again," she said.

"Speaking of, you haven't seen the new guy," Aleisa added.

"Where is he, anyways?" Navani asked, raising his head and looking down the coast.

* * *

"It really has been long, but it felt longer," Kairi said, rubbing her chilled arms as she stood in the musky caverns with Sora.

"You cold?" he asked.

She shook her and smiled. "I just don't wanna think about you being gone again. It felt like years."

"I asked around and it seemed that I was only gone for one year, but I was told that each world has different time zones and more insignificant worlds have a slower pace of time."

Kairi blinked and laughed. "You're not making any sense."

"When do I ever?" Sora said with a smirk.

"So, we all got separated again," Kairi said, lowering her head.

"Yeah. It seems that Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus belonged to different worlds afterall."

"I meant.. Riku."

There was a deafening silence.

"I've always been caught in bad situations," Sora said. "If Riku would have kept on living, Ansem would have kept on antagonizing. I couldn't let him do that to anyone."

"Yeah. It's gonna be strange, not having Riku here," Kairi said. She paused for a moment, listening to Magnolia, Navani, and Aleisa talking outside. She smiled. "Poor Magnolia. She's the only one who's alone."

"What do you mean?" Sora said, turning away.

"Nothing," Kairi said, hiding her flushed face. "Where do you wanna go?"

Sora was looking down at the rockface next to the empty, dark wall that once held a door. He noticed that Kairi had added a paopu star to the drawing, offering him the fruit. Sora felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly tried to change the subject. "Say, Kairi. I heard there were gonna be new renovations to the island soon."

"Yeah," Kairi said, still turned away. "It seems that there really is another civilization not far from here. My father is in the works of making a vessel that will sail us over. Things won't seem so lonely anymore."

"Your dad's trying to teach you to seem more poised," Sora said, noticing her school-like uniform.

She nodded. "Yeah. There's a school over there. Seems we won't be spending as many years as anticipated. We got a lucky break on that."

"I guess we won't have as much free time as usual," Sora said.

"Yeah, and just when we started getting closer," Kairi mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Sora asked.

Kairi turned around to see that Sora had diverted his attention back to the drawing. Her eyes widened.

"Kairi," Sora said, turning towards her. "There's something I wanna tell you."

"Yeah, the drawing was just some silly drawing that I was drawing when you were away.." she said frantically, but was cut off.

"I love you," Sora said boldly. Kairi stopped talking immediatly. "Dumb, huh? I mean, I know you don't feel the same way, but.."

"Whaat? Are you crazy?" Kairi shouted.

Sora blinked. "You mean..?"

"Yes, you crazy dork!" Kairi screamed, taking Sora's hands and jumping up and down. "I felt the same way ever since I first met you, even when I didn't know who you were when I washed up on the beach!"

"This is so great!" Sora said, jumping along with her.

"I'm not even gonna ask," Navani said, joining them in the cave. He noticed their fingers were laced.

"About time," Aleisa said, joining Navani in the caverns.

"Pssh," Magnolia merely hissed, walking out in a puff from all this romance.

"The mayor's declared that the boat is finished. You guys wanna come see this new town or not?" Navani asked.

"That would be great!" Kairi said, her handed still cupped around Sora's. She led them all back out into the sunlight. A large, wooden ark was floating by the shore. Magnolia, Aleisa, and Navani ran for it, but Kairi asked them to wait up on her. She led Sora away to the track where he and Riku used to race.

"I guess I'll never be the referee for this place again," Kairi said with a sigh.

"Riku would want you to be happy, right?" Sora asked.

Kairi nodded. "Yeah. As long as you're by my side, I'll be happy." She lowered her head. "But promise me one thing. You have a tendency to get lost in other worlds." She raised her head, her lips in a pout. "If we go to this new world together, do you promise never to leave me?"

Sora smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, embracing her, then he lightly kissed her on the lips as a breeze whipped through the coconut trees. He pulled away after a moment. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to work on your kisses," Kairi said, smirking.

Sora rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'll have plenty of time, because I'll stay with you until eternity."

Kairi pulled her hands out from behind her back and shoved a half paopu fruit into Sora's mouth and grinned, nibbling on the other half. "Now, it's official."

Forcing down the fruit, Sora took Kairi's hand, and they walked for the shore to explore the new world.

THE END


End file.
